Mother
by megamanfreakinx
Summary: Last of her kind, true courage has come. She will bring about Hate through him. The Dark One Cometh, everlasting be His reign. (Book 2 of The Auspice Sequence) Picture(Sleeping Cosmo) by BloomTH on deviantart. Sonic X, Sonic, Tails, Cosmo, Cream
1. Prologue

**Mother(All Rights Reserved)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Sonic characters or Sonic X, they are all owned by SEGA.**

 **Don't you just love early releases? I know I do!**

 **To my spite, and love, the same.**

 **Prologue**

Imprisoned, forgotten, destitute of feeling and friendship. Mayhap I deserve it. I came, I repented, and I failed. I failed my home, my people, and most of all, I failed you, Mother. For you are his Love, and will bring about Hate through him. Although, it is done. Let it not be in vain, I will send someone to protect her. And she will destroy the world.

I was killed in vain, this much is true. My death gave little meaning to the world, but that does not mean yours will too. My name is Mammoth Mogul, and this is certainly not my story.

The once beautiful, magnificent, and prepossessing Beacon was made a ruinous wasteland. The Beacon of Reality and its precious gemstone that was the political sect: The Pantheon was no more. Once, it would have been the cornerstone of human, animal, and any other beings' peak of evolution. But to see it in the state of agitation and incredulity was humanizing, or even animalizing. Instead of being god-like it was reduced to rubble and debris. The once great blue pillars of the holy temple were now ash. Toppled over with great ease by a being known better as the Fallen One. Sargeras the Fallen Titan had lead the raid and killed more than half of the exalted beings. Why the once great Sargeras, son of Aman'Thul, the High Father, would ever stoop down to a level so abominable and foul was a mystery. But what he did, and who he killed was done. He was gone, and the Precursor Noma was dead, killed by the one they knew as Eleos.

The Pantheon had been infiltrated by the agents of the Old God. That was sure enough, but what would they have gained from killing Noma? That was a mystery Aman'Thul would take to his death. His son Aggramar was dead, killed by his own brother. His heart wrapped greatly with grief and sorrow. His mother Eonar wept salty tears, great rain covered the realities. The three brothers of the High Mother and Father, Norgannon, Khaz'Goroth, and Golganneth gathered the remaining beings to hold the last conference of reality. They spoke in silent prayer.

In the outskirts of the city were Soferia, a giant mammoth, Amel a formidable human, and the Inventor, a rabbit clothed and covered from top to bottom in a cloak.

"How can we trust anything you tell us?" Soferia asked impatiently.

"You can't, but I've come to finish my mission. I was hunting the creatures Himerope and Mephiles, one you call Lagneia." The rabbit spoke, trying her best to diffuse any confusion or rage the mammoth had for her.

"Perhaps she is the Inventor, let us at least hear her out." Amel tried to dissuade Soferia from doing anything rash.

"Better yet, let us take her to the High Father, he will judge her accordingly." Soferia brought the Idea to light and Amel agreed.

"Here they are now." Norgannon, a platinum being (brother of Aman'Thul) with a blue shield attached to his arm spoke. He had silver pauldrons on his shoulders and a robe and long beard, but not as long as the High Father's. His eyes shone with blue intensity.

What beings were left alive surrounded the High Father, Soferia, Amel and a stranger with long rabbit ears. Her face was soft but stern, she seemed more experienced than most. By her belt dangled a long sword no one there recognized. Her cloak was as black as the space that surrounded the Beacon.

"High Father, we have brought you this girl. She claims to be the Inventor." Soferia's voice was harsh, it was not like him to be so.

"I'm not just some girl! I am the Inventor." The tall rabbit pushed aside Soferia's arm, and she barged through to the High Father. "I'm here to help. I killed Himerope, the one you call Lagneia."

When the rabbit stated her claim there were gasps and chuckles in the audience.

"How do you know of the Inventor?" The High Father asked.

"I was told. I know of the machine- I was the one that built it. Or rather, finished it." The rabbit stood her ground, unfearful, and unrelenting.

"We fear it is not yet finished. Who told you?" The High Mother asked, still out of breath from the battle.

"I know, that is why I am hunting them. And, you all did, you speak of your Augury quite blatantly." The rabbit stated openly.

"Can we really trust her?" Soferia asked the High Father, "Do you trust her?"

"You are fools. You are fools to be so trusting." The rabbit had her mind made up, left the circle to scan for any remaining demons.

"It isn't a question of whether you trust her. We have no choice but to leave, it is not safe here. And she is right, we were compromised from the start of the Emergence." Golganneth, a younger brother of Aman'Thul, a being with a metal helm, with lightning blue eyes, spoke out in agreement. This brother had a chain staff with a giant blue pearl at the headpiece.

The golden brother of Aman'Thul spoke next, "Let us prepare, we leave for the Beacon of Hope." He carried a hammer with him. His eyes and skin burned red with fire. His name was Khaz'Goroth.

Amel had no possessions, but he neared the rabbit who claimed she was the Inventor. He closed his eyes and imagined his counterpart Majordomos. He thought, _where are you?_ But there was no response this time from either Anub'Rakish, or Xan'thil. Amel's voice was soft when he spoke to her, "How can you be certain you killed Lagneia?"

The Inventor did not look to respond, she only scanned the wasteland of rubble. "Her body, it must still be here." She pointed around fallen debris.

"Show me." Amel asked, and that time she did look back at the human, doubting herself if she had finished the job or not.

When they turned a bend of fallen rubble, where the Inventor had killed Himerope, there was not body or evidence to show that she was ever there. "No!" The rabbit yelled. "I swear it, I saw her die. You must believe me." She said in hopes that the human would not tell the others of possible deceit.

Amel folded his arms and made a clicking sound with his mouth and lips. "I do trust you. I only fear that you did not truly kill her. They can only be killed from whence they came."

"And where is that, pray tell?" She asked, filled with self-disappointment.

"The dark abyss. That is where the demons spawn and reincarnate. It's Cream, isn't it?" Amel looked the rabbit over.

The rabbit gave the human a threatening look, "Do I know you?"

"You will." Amel smiled, and motioned for her to start their long journey.

 **Section I**

Not only did the dark and many halls of Castle Knottingham echo the terrible name, but Amelia was reminded of it with every corner she turned. There were banners of her house sigil everywhere she turned. She tried her best to chase the ungrateful children away, but being a child herself, and wearing a heavy dress, it was awfully difficult to do so. The tanned hedgehog heard the name, and being called that made her as red as an echidna.

"Rosy, rosy the rascal!" The stone hallways echoed terribly and resounded in her eardrums. The children teasing her skidded off and outside the castle. Amelia stopped at the threshold of door that lead to the primary portcullis walls. It was snowing outside, and she wasn't ready to ruin her new dress.

"It's Amelia you curs!" The little hedgehog shouted, hoping the kids heard it. She quickly covered her mouth with her hands, realizing if someone had heard her they might tell her father. She felt a pain in her chest every time her so called friends would come over and tease her. She blamed herself most of the time, she was the one inviting them into the castle. But she wouldn't do so anymore. She felt tears coming again.

"No that is no way for a lady to sspeak." There came a slithery voice behind the hedgehog. She turned around and saw a familiar snake she knew. Commodore Hood, a military snake now becoming a royal advisor to the King, had on the norm for Knottingham's army uniform, black armor laced with pink. His piercing blue eyes could be seen in the dark, and he approached Amelia. "It's those bullies again, isn't it my princesss?" The snake reached to embrace her as he always did. "The best thing to do is to ignore them. They will always find a way-"

Suddenly the little girl grabbed for the snake and cried, "You're my friend, right Mordy?"

"Of course my princesss. But, shouldn't you be playing with someone your own age, like Antoine?" The snake sheltered Amelia from the cold with his cloak.

"No, he smells funny." Amelia made a face as if she smelled something rancid.

The snake chuckled, "Nonethelesss, I think it's time to see your father now. He's been awfully busssy and I think a visit would cheer him up, don't you agree?"

"Yes! I think a proper visit is in order." The girl made herself sound sophisticated and excitedly she ran to the Rose Hall, adorned with Kingsprays, Dragonsfoil, Silverdasters and Pinkroses. The halls always smelled of flowers, and they had to be new ones. Her father used the hall as a large council chamber, and he kept a long table in front of the throne so that he and his advisors would be able to sit. But only King Ban was present at the moment. He saw that Commodore Hood brought in his daughter, and with welcome arms he grabbed her and spun her in the air.

"There's my little princess!" King Ban greeted his daughter. "Friar Buck says you've excelled in your studies. Didn't I say you were a smart girl?"

"Yes, that is what I wanted to advise to you about daddy." Amelia asked to be let down and King Ban set her on his lap. The King looked over to Commodore Hood, he shrugged and mouthed "I didn't teach her that".

"Oh?" King Ban was impressed in the language of one so young. His daughter never failed to impress him.

"Friar Buck is so boring montonous." She struggled with the word.

"Monotonous." King Ban corrected and smiled.

"Yes, monotonous. He's so boring! Why can't someone teach me like mum used to do?" Amelia inquired and her father sighed with sadness.

"Because there's no one as smart as your mother. Except for Friar Buck, he comes close." King Ban winked at her and looked over at the chuckling snake.

"I have to agree with the princesss on this one, the deer can be quite unvaried in his teachingss." The snake walked close to Amelia and shook her head with his hand. He noticed the disapproving, sarcastic stare of the King and corrected himself, "B-but of coursse he is the besst teacher in Knottingham."

Amelia went to hug the snake, "Why can't Mordy teach me? We're practically best friends. And the answer is no, I will not play with Antoine, he smells. I know you told Mordy to tell me."

The snake looked sheepish and King Ban responded, "You're too smart for your own good Amelia. Before I forget the good news, your brother Hector is coming to visit soon, and your uncle Lionel sends his regards. He wished to be here but he's too sick to come."

"I miss Hector too." Amelia added.

"Come, come Amelia, it is time for bed. Your father still has work, let him be." A maidservant came for Amelia and she motioned goodbye.

"Goodnight daddy, goodnight Mordy." And Amelia was gone.

King Ban embraced his advisor's shoulder and told him, "Thank you, Mordred, for being _the_ role model for Amelia."

The snake shook his head. "Everything I do iss for the crown, and for your wonderful family my King."

"Is she safe?" The King asked.

"Ssafe with the Deerwood Bandits. Whatever assassinss were hired have vanished, or they've stopped paying them. We don't know whom, but we susspect the Irons." Commodore Hood responded.

"Gods. It's always the Irons. Remind me never to side with the Irons." King Ban stroked his chin in thought.

"Duly noted." The snake smiled weakly.

"When can I see her again?" The King asked, with longing in his tone.

The snake shook his head remorsefully, "It would not be wisse to see her now, if we are to keep her disguissed and well. As your advissor, I would ssay a few more months, let the scares die down. As your friend, I would also ssay wait. Be of good cheer, the Bandits remain faithful to the crown. You have friendss in high places."

Princess Amelia stood on the stone window overlooking the rest of Castle Knottingham. She liked to watch the animals go about dying down for the night, although some made quite the racket, visiting tavern to tavern with their chums. Her back lay on the stone window and she fiddled with a golden trinket her mother had given her one birthday. It was a music box that helped her go to sleep when her mother wasn't around to do so. The night sky brought a sudden chill and even blew out her candles in her room. But she paid no mind to it, slowly and quickly she drifted off into a land filled with adventure. To tales of the old Deerwood Bandits. She imagined herself being one of them and leading them to fight crime and punishing the wicked kings of old.

She had on a green cap and a green outfit, just like the rest of them. She saw Alan Quail and Bow Sparrow, all the famous ones. They were in the middle of battling Jun Kun the Iron King. A sea of arrows came hurtling towards her but Alan Quail the magnificent, and don't forget handsome, came to her rescue. And he shielded her and called her by name, "Amelia, wake up."

And she responded, "But I want to be with my darling Alan Quail."

"Amelia, wake up." There came a whisper, it was her father waking her up. She had fallen asleep again on the window. _Great,_ she thought, _I'll catch a cold in no time._ It took her another moment to realize she had just been woken up.

"Daddy?" She asked, slurry in her speech. Her father spooked her with neon green eyes. His eyes shined greatly in the dark. Not a characteristic she had known him for. He also slurred in his speech. And the manner of which he walked and presented himself was less than fashionable. There was a little limp in the way he walked. He readied her by packing some of her things. "Daddy what's going on? You're scaring me." Amelia was fully awake now.

"There's no time, I have to take you away now Amelia." King Ban spoke with hoarseness in his voice. He clothed her and wrapped her around a cloak too big for her.

"Where are we going?" She waited at the foot of her door.

"You'll be living with uncle Bors now." He finished packing for her.

"I thought," She yawned, "I only had an Uncle Lionel. Wait!" Amelia reached for and picked up her music box which had fallen to the ground. Quickly when he saw she was ready he picked her up and left her room. It was still dead of night so there weren't many people out in the castle. Only a few sleeping guards. Some were alerted by King Ban and stood up at attention. But Ban only ignored them and headed for the portcullis walls.

Ban met with an animal that was preparing a horse to be ridden. "It's all yours my King." The animal spoke, he trembled with what might have been fear or just the cold of the snow. Ban fastened his daughter on the horse first, then he made his way up. Amelia noticed he had not thanked the animal and they left, crossing the portcullis and making their way out of the city.

With the silent streets being desolate, every pounding of the horse's hoof was as clear as loud drums. Every gasping breath of the animal they rode on became louder, frightening Amelia more and more. But her father clutched to her, making sure she would not slip off. Their breaths could be seen in the light of the moon. But they made it out of the city walls past the gate that had been conveniently been opened. The trees they passed howled and spun at them blocking their path, and averting their view of the mud path. Where King Ban was leading them, Amelia did not know. But she saw the path was diminishing, and minutes became hours. Until finally she saw a greatness of blue. A great sea lay before her, and the horse they rode in on, still lead them farther from her home, somewhere where fish and salamanders shouted and cheated each other. Amelia dozed off the majority of the trip there, but was awake to see a grand vessel she had only seen in books. And adorned on the ships were piercing dragons of old. To Amelia they seemed to pop out of the ships with their long arms and wings and grab at her. She tried to be the strong princess her father always told her to be. She clutched hard at her father's hand as they made their way off the horse and onto the ship.

She let herself go for a moment and explored the beautifully carved mast-more dragons. She ran to the portside, staring out into the blue beyond. Amelia overheard her father talking to one of the fisherman.

"One-hundred Librams. As was promised." The King handed the fish a bag of currency.

"You have made Obasi very rich, sir, yes, rich King Ban." The fish responded without looking at Ban.

"Fool." King Ban muttered under his breath, and limped slowly to his daughter.

"Are you hurt daddy? You're limping." Amelia pointed out.

"I'll be fine Amelia. It will be daytime by the time we get there. You should get some rest." The King motioned for her to cuddle for warmth.

The little hedgehog woke up once to the uncomfortable wetness of the sea, it was being sprinkled on her cheeks and mouth. She spat the salt away and looked around. Her father was not next to her, but she heard whispers. The crew was motioning for each other to be quiet or shut up. They shushed and waved their hands around, until none of them made any noise or movement. They did all appear to be staring in the same direction. She got up to see what it was they were staring at.

It took Amelia's eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dark, and what was before her. Her eyes lead her to the top of the sky and down into the deepening ocean. It was an arm, or a tentacle. Raised from the water below and must have been a league or two tall and high, reaching for the sky. Its skin was jagged and seemed rough, there were sharp tendrils protruding from the sides. And the arm only extended higher and higher.

"Daddy!" Amelia screamed and they fisherman shushed. She saw her father on the edge of the boat with both hands extended. She ran to him and he also shushed her. "Daddy I'm scared."

"Hush Amelia!" Her father had never yelled at her, it only made her more frightened. She noticed his eyes again, the glowed with great, green intensity. His hands gave off a matter that could be seen, it was dark. And with one last pulse of matter, he shot it at the arm. And the arm obeyed, and sunk to the bottom.

Next Amelia woke up again to her father waking her up. She was tired and had trouble moving. So her father carried her. They walked the Acorn Harbor, until they reached another hedgehog. He seemed older than her father, he wasn't clean shaven. He was also a tanned hedgehog. He wore a red cape.

"Amelia this is your uncle Bors, he will be taking care of you now." Ban explained, he then directed to the hedgehog again, "Remember to keep an eye on her, otherwise, it's your head."

Ban left, and did not say goodbye to his daughter, leaving her shocked.

"Hello Amelia, I've heard so much about you." Her uncle Bors spoke a different accent than she and her father did.

She mustered what bravery she could and said, "It's nice to meet you uncle Bors."

"For your protection and those reasons I hope you understand, we will need to call you something else. Let's say, Amy. Still your name, just shortened." Bors held the little hedgehog at attention. They came to his Castle Little Beak in the kingdom they called Acorn. From the outside it looked more like a single tower with many banners of the house sigil of Lancelot and Rose which was: Lancelot's sword Arondight surrounded by a pink rose.

She stared outside, it was morning now, but not yet light out. She saw the busy, ugly, streets that were of Castle Little Beak. There were all sorts of foul smells not smelled in Knottingham. This place wasn't magical like her home, it stunk of pig and dung and other bodily fluids. She looked to see two women, a duck and another she could not recognize, they were yelling at each other over something. And then two other men came and took the women away. What on Mobius was that all about? She thought about this while her new Uncle Bors chatted away about some rules. This could not be her new home, how could it be? What was her father thinking? Sending her away was probably the worst thing that had ever happened to her. _He didn't even say goodbye,_ she thought. "When can I see my daddy?" She interrupted.

"Honey, you can't see your daddy. Ever. Now get used to it!" Bors yelled, he hated being interrupted, so he continued with his important sermon of instructions. When he was finished he told her, "You can go to your room now. Breakfast in an hour, and supper at Eventide. Go on now." He motioned for her to leave him in his quarters. She bravely walked silently to her new room. It was much smaller than her old one, and it had no windows. Though it was bleak she still found the courage to unpack at least her music box. She turned a knob on the golden trinket and out was heard a lullaby her mother sang to her many a times.

 _Oh, sweet prince, how lovely he sleeps._

 _Watch his eyes as they go sweeps._

 _Far into the moon, far into the night,_

 _He comes he goes, he takes in flight._

Her mother changed the word prince to princess just for Amelia. And she began to tear up when she realized how important the box was to her. It was the last thing she had to remember by her home, her family, her father and mother, Mordy. Everything she knew became crumbled and absconded from her mind and sight. Amelia let herself drown in pity and self-loathing. For a moment she thought that everything that had just happened to her was her fault. That for some reason her father was punishing her for not being a fit daughter or princess. But she would show him somehow that she was fit, and that she could be a better daughter. But she would not be able to shine and flourish in the hellhole that was Castle Little Beak. Luckily she was already packed.

Amelia waited until nighttime to leave. She snuck around the back, stone wall of the castle and climbed. Her fingernails dug deep into the dirt that now held together each stone. She was lucky to only be carrying a small bag with her with some clothes and her music box. She grunted louder than she had anticipated when she hit the grass on the other side. She looked around and when she thought she was clear, she ran. Amelia ran the clearing of trees, and the wind howled in her direction. Every waking moment she was not asleep gave her strange satisfaction. Running from the man who claimed to be her uncle was full of desire.

On the other side of the clearing was a hill that she climbed and overlooking was another clearing-more forest. She stopped to catch her breath at the peak of the hill and sat her back on a tree facing the new grove.

Amelia had no time to cry again, for she heard a loud crackle near her. And someone was yelling. She crawled to the other side of the tree and noticed something quite unfamiliar to her. It was a giant ball of metal shooting fire and making the trees go up in flame. She gasped when she realized it was coming towards her. And it only became bigger, and Amelia looked back and tripped. Her mouth hit the hard dirt and she was out.

"Nothing to worry about my dear, you're not in any real danger."

"Bahh!" Amelia gasped for breath when she woke to the sight of bright green all around her. She squirmed and found she could not move her arms, but she kicked her legs anyway. Did the metal ball kill her and was this heaven?

"Now, now my dear, save it for when the show starts." There was that voice again.

Amelia looked around to find the voice, she saw that she was dangling over a giant vat of green. She saw no entrance to the giant metal room she was in. But she squinted to see the giant ball, it was to the left of her and there was someone on it. "I demand to be released, at once!" She yelled.

"Pipe down you sniveling brat. Wait a minute that's good, I should write that down." It was the

voice of a man, now her eyes were adjusting to the much lit room. The voice came from a creature she had never beholden her eyes before. It was very round and red, his smaller round head was tan and hairless, and where the nose should be was only a much pink beak. But the most distinct feature was of his moustache, an orange from side to side set of hair. It reached for distances not ever reached by moustache kind. Where his eyes should have been there were a pair of small, blue glasses.

"Help!" Amelia yelled again, trying to get the attention of the bald bird, or possibly whale.

"Who do you think I am? Its Mobitanium rope, nothing is cutting through that." The bald whale explained.

There was a sudden crash, one wall of the metal room was crumbled into. She made out what was another hedgehog, he was blue. Had he done that himself?

"How did you-?" The man asked.

The blue hedgehog spoke raising a finger, "With a Sonic Spin! It can cut through anything ladies and gents. Like this wall." He pointed at the crumbled wall. "Let her go blubber-butt!"

"Poor choice of words you blue bozo! Give up now and I won't pull this lever, releasing her into a most untimely death." The man winked at her, raising his hands to show her he had no lever.

Just then a malicious purple wind cut the rope and sent Amelia down, deep into the green vat. It made both the doctor and the blue hedgehog shriek.

"I didn't do that" The doctor yelled. But it was too late, and the blue hedgehog dove in after her. Fortunately it was not deep enough for him not to drown in it himself. But sure enough he pulled Amelia out. Her skin burned and turned a brighter color. She ached all over but looked up at the blue stranger and couldn't help but smile, even with all the pain.

"My hero." The little hedgehog fainted.


	2. Chapter 1: The Most Important Thing

**Part 1**

 **The Loss**

 **Chapter 1**

 **The Most Important Thing**

 _Where is my hero now, I wonder?_ Amy thought. Her feet, legs, thighs, stomach, chest, and arms trembled with violent ferocity. Each felt cramped and full of ache. The snow she trudged on moved along and on top of her shoes, making her socks wet. That was a bad sign in the wintery weather she and Espio walked on. She constantly had to remove them and tie her feet with loose cloth, so as not to lose her toes to the cold. Her black suit became tattered and wet, her cloak was more rags than actual cover from the freezing rain.

Espio and Amy both hunted and traveled during the night. It was too risky to travel by day, but they barely made due. The food they hunted and foraged was scarce. Each time they made camp they huddled next to each other for warmth. At first it seemed wildly inappropriate, but later on was used for survival. And each time Amy arose to travel she longed for food, her stomach growled every three to five minutes. It helped not to think about food, rather she thought of Sonic. _Maybe they miss me, or maybe Sonic hasn't even noticed, knowing him,_ Amy pondered.

Espio wasn't much company. What little words he said were to warn her about where to make her water or which freezing pond was Okay to bathe in. Keeping up appearances wasn't a must for Amy at that very moment, but at least she still considered personal hygiene a good trait to have. Amy never expected to get to know Espio at such an intimate level, but she was glad she had someone. It seemed that back home no one would have come with her to Knottingham, even if she asked. And even home which was Knottingham seemed bleaker every day.

Amy clutched at the seashell necklace Sonic had returned to her, it still strapped around her neck. She thought of another trinket she should have never given up. The golden box, she gave it to Obasi the Trident before she got on his ship. How stupid she thought she was, how much of a fool she called herself now because of it. She thought that it would be alright to give it up, since she was going back home anyway. But she never thought about her mother when she gave it up. It was the last thing she remembered of her mother. _What kind of a person am I?_ She thought.

With her other hand she grabbed at her father's sword, which bounced by her belt on her thigh and leg. She had never once seen her father wield Arondight unsheathed. Only before she left her kingdom. And now she carried it, the sword of Sir Lancelot himself. She never pictured that either. And her father, could he be dead? Could they really have killed him? That crazy cow lady was known for many evil things, perhaps her father really was dead. At times Amy's thinking made her pause, and want to go back, but Espio stopped with her, and helped her carry on.

They both crossed a small riverbed and on the other side she saw Espio fall, his head went deep into the snow.

"Are you Okay?" Amy asked, helping the chameleon up.

"I'm fine." He brushed off the fall and continued the path around some dark trees.

Amy tried to make simple conversation, "You never told me why you came back, for me I mean."

"I overheard the Iron guards, what they were going to do to you." Espio confessed.

"I don't know if I said it enough- thank you, Espio, for rescuing me." She said sadly, thinking of her father. _Why couldn't he come with us?_ She thought. _I'm so pathetic,_ she continued, _I'm always the damsel in distress, I'm… a failure._

"It was the least I could do Amy, your like family now," Espio said, trudging through the snow without looking back, "and family is most important."

 _He's right,_ Amy mused, _Espio is like family, and all the others, and I left them. I left my Sonic for what? Grr! Okay fine! Maybe not my Sonic, maybe somebody else's. But he is family, nonetheless._ _I have to get used to that._ Even though it pained the pink hedgehog to think and feel a friendlier and not so much a loving way about Sonic, she thought it still, and pretended to engrave the words in her head. Amy stopped to think for another moment, still moving and freezing in the dark. "Which is why we are headed south, and not near Shimmering Lake, right?"

"Exactly." Espio remarked.

"You only mentioned Salma once since we left Knottingham. Actually since we left Acorn territory." Amy pointed out.

"What can I say? I until recently found out she was my sister." Espio motioned for Amy to get behind a tree with him. He looked out while Amy looked to the ground pensively.

"What's your plan then?" Amy crouched and felt her legs receive newfound cold.

Espio looked at the hedgehog, "I'm not asking you to do this, hells, and I'm not even asking you to go with me any longer."

"We're family, that's what matters." Amy restated, and it made Espio smile.

"Are you any good with that?" Espio asked, eyeing Arondight.

"I prefer my hammers, but I think I can manage." Amy felt an obligation to use the sword, for her father. She also grabbed at her pack, reminded of the important documents her father had given her, and she checked to see if they were still there.

"According to the information given to me, we should be arriving in a few days. We have to think and act proactively and realistically. We might only have time to rescue Salma." Espio explained, looking back at the dark.

"I'm with you Espio." Amy whispered and changed the subject, "Who is she to you anyway? A sister you say?"

"That's what they told me." Espio looked back and with one movement of his hand they were off again. "I didn't believe it when I first heard it, in fact I still don't believe it. I wouldn't even know where to start- how impossible the notion is. But it's too late now, whatever she is, we are rescuing her no matter what."

"After we rescue her though, where do you plan to go?" Amy asked, hoping Espio had intentions of helping her get to her uncle Lionel's castle.

"Not sure, I'm undecided." He responded. "First we have to see what we are dealing with. Know anything about the Irons?"

Amy shook her head with slight dismay. "Only what you hear on the TransAudio."

Espio looked back at Amy confused.

"What?" She asked, "You don't have those where you come from? Huh. You'd think those would catch on in other places."


	3. Chapter 2: The Queen Of Knottingham

**Chapter 2**

 **The Queen Of Knottingham**

Jules scratched the fuzz on his chin, "Admiral, how close are we?" He asked another hedgehog in the numerous, armed, Acorn, group. They walked in silence and in the dark.

"A few leagues General." The hedgehog responded, eerie at the thought that someone might be watching from the void.

"Where are we? That body of water, it is Shimmering Lake is it not?" Jules asked, pointing north through the trees at the blue.

"I believe it is." The admiral answered again.

"Then where are the Simians? We should have seen scouts by now. Tell the lead to stop." As soon as the hedgehog general commanded it, voices whispered up through the ranks, and in one single stop, squadron one and two of Sixty-Four waited and looked around. The blue hedgehog pushed the brown lock of hair out of his eyes. He felt as if his eyesight was playing tricks on him in the night. He saw shadows moving from beyond the lake. "Admiral?" He asked again.

"Yes sir?"

"Status." Jules whispered.

"Blue. Blue light to proceed or retreat. The men can go on." The admiral shifted his weight uncomfortably.

"Send two men north of the lake. Maybe their information was incorrect." Jules rubbed his hands together.

"That will not be necessary!" There came a voice and blinding lights from every direction. The Acorns moved around nervously bumping into each other. Some of the men yelled "ambush" still not knowing where to defend or attack. Large black bulls surrounded the acorns as they stumbled. And the voice appeared in between two massive white bulls. It was the Iron Queen Regina. She rolled her way over to Jules as the black bulls took the front line's weapons, by force.

"General? Plan of attack?!"

"Lower your weapons!" Jules commanded and spat at his admiral. The second line held their spears and swords lowered at the ready.

"If it isn't the infamous Sir Jules. What? Giving up so easily." The white bulled queen blurted out.

"Oh Queen of the Irons, need I remind you we are at a cease fire." Jules respectfully bowed.

"And need I remind _you_ , that you are in my territory!" Mountains of jewelry shook as the bull pointed her fat finger.

Jules looked around playfully at the body of water, "Is this not where Nimue, the Lady of the Lake raised Lancelot? I do believe you are mistaken my queen, with all due respect, this is all Knottingham's as I recall."

"Be that as it may," The fat queen started, "you still are Acorns, are you not? And what do we do with Acorns boys?!" At the question the black bulls laughed and snorted. "Oh Sir Jules, I have an old friend here dying to meet your acquaintance." The Iron Queen raised a ton of arm and from the darkness came a bat. "Rich Nights, I want Jules alive, more or less, and as a present do with the rest what you will." The queen excused herself and the bat smiled devilishly.

"As you wish."

* * *

Jules noticed across from the cross that he was tied on, there was a purple chameleon with a golden horn and long, messy, black hair, with an open head wound. "Hey!" He yelled, getting the attention of one of the black bulls. "She needs help! She's bleeding!"

One of the massive bulls took his time to untie Jules and start to kick him while he was down. Another bull spat on him.

Jules yelled in excruciating agony as he was beat mercilessly when the prisoners arrived a little southwest of Shimmering Lake. That was the easy part, to have happened to all the prisoners by the raging bulls. Once the massive men were gone the bats took one prisoner at a time and tortured them all the same in front of everyone else.

It was light out enough for the prisoners to behold the bat's terrible torture. Each prisoner was taken in the middle of the camp surrounded by tied up Acorns in wooden crosses. First they were tied to a chair and were questioned all sorts of absurd things. Such as, "What do you know of the Deerwood Bandits?" "Where are the Bandits?" "How long have you worked for the Bandits?" "Do you know of, Thorn the Lop? Friar Buck? Munch Rat? Alan Quail? Bow Sparrow?" And so on.

If the prisoner answered with a negative, each was given the rod. Tiny metallic rods were placed under each fingernail and pushed a few inches in. Only a few died after the eighth or ninth. Next, with open bloody hands they were given the bucket. A small bucket filled with feces was tied around the chest and they were gagged so as to breathe through the nostrils. The bats then placed rods under toenails. There was the sudden gasp of "I'll tell you anything" but even with that answer the bats always finished with the slow death of a stab through the stomach. The dying were placed upright on the crosses to bleed out. And to kill with suspense there was always an hour break in between tortures.

Jules thought of his men, and their families. But he could not let himself lose hope. As he heard the screams, the yells, the moans, he clung to the thought of Bernie, and his son. He noticed that to his left was someone he was supposed to be meeting with. He whispered to him, "Sergeant Simian?"

The muscular, brown, ape did not open his eyes, "Hardly. Please, call me Simon. Sir Jules I presume." He whispered back. But before Jules could respond he continued, "Enough with the pleasantries. Whatever idea you have of getting out of here is not worth thinking. If you try something you'll get us all killed quicker."

"That still seems a tad hopeless. You look like you can take them all on, why have you not tried to escape?" Jules noticed one of the ape's biceps was the size of Jules' head.

"Because they haven't figured that out yet. We have to wait for the opportune moment." The ape explained.

"Ah." Jules pointed with his mouth towards the chameleon. "She seems important to have around here. Know her?"

The ape shook his head still not looking at Jules. "She's a Dragon, that's all I know."

"What's a Dragon doing all the way out here?" Jules wondered. "What of your Destructix?"

"You're stepping on them." Simon chuckled. Jules raised his legs and saw what might have been a skull buried on the wet dirt.

"No please NO! AHH!" It was the turn of another Acorn, and a bull noticed Jules was looking away.

"You will watch this!" The bull grabbed Jules tiny head in comparison and pointed it at the screaming Acorn. "You too monkey boy!" Sergeant Simian reluctantly but obediently moved his head to the right. When each rod was placed a few inches, pinkie to pinkie, both blood and sweat soaked the porcupine. He could breathe again and he pleaded for his life, he sold his soul, his family, and everything in the gods' green planet.

The bat Jules recognized as the so called Rich Nights lead the interrogation. She placed a chair in front of the porcupine, Jules remembered him as Thomas, Private Grade 2, poor fellow, wife and some kids probably. Rich Nights was clothed in all black, she resembled some sort of a ninja. As for a face, Jules only saw red eyes. She rolled her eyes and pretended to be looking at her nails. "Where are the Deerwood Bandits?"

"I- I don't know, I've never heard of them." Thomas pleaded his case.

But the bat looked as if she was offended, so she slapped the still lodged rods, making him wail. "You lie. I don't like being lied to."

"I swear it! Those are only stories, everyone knows that!" The porcupine dropped his head.

"So you admit you lied to me!" Rich Nights held her fingers close to where the porcupine could see them. They seemed filed to sharpness. She stroked his cheek, and his neck, and soothingly repeated. She proceeded to be inches and then centimeters away from his face. She took off her covering, revealing a very light skin, almost pale- _maybe she was an albino bat_ , Jules thought-, and kissed the porcupine. The sisters accompanying Rich Nights started the giggle. "Now, will you tell me what I want to know?"

"I'll tell you anything I swear, please just make it end."

"Anything?" Rich Nights looked at Jules being forced to stare her way. "You know, I always wondered, what did they do to that Mad King they always talk about?"

"Well," The porcupine stopped himself wondering if what he would say next would have more pain involved, "they killed him, everyone knows that."

"Really?" Rich Nights covered her mouth again. "That's too bad, I would have loved to hear his darkest secrets. Rod."

"But you said-"The porcupine started before being thrashed with the sharp nails.

"I said nothing!" She slowly scraped his cheek following to his mouth before leaving the now more bloody man. "And you've told me everything I need to know. Besides, your kind of boring darling."

The two bats grabbed at his feet and stuck the first rod in his pinkie toe, while he yelled for death. But death would only come slowly, Jules thought, _and she's running out of prisoners._


	4. Chapter 3: Bors' Lie

**Chapter 3**

 **Bors' Lie**

"No, no. This does not leave this room understood? Rumors of Acorns being captured must remain rumors, so as to keep the peace." Sally interrupted her council. The grand hall of Acorns echoed with concerned voices.

"A wise decision, there are outbreaks of open revolts across the kingdom. Mostly Little Beak and Auburndale." That was Penelope the platypus.

"The easterners, why? What is Bors and Tristan's response?" Sally asked feeling the tenseness rising on her straining head.

"We think they might be behind it. They have made no indication that they are stopping the outbreaks. And Bors has been ignoring our letters. Tristan on the other hand tells us that there is nothing to worry about." Said Dylan the porcupine.

"I for one do not trust these allegations. Rumors will be rumors, you will see, Jules will come back." Hamlin tried to discredit the rumors.

"That's not your expertise, what would you know about it? We've gone past that Hamlin." Dylan snapped.

"Who do you think pays for your propaganda and you're squabbling police force?" Hamlin pointed at both the porcupine and Penelope. "If there are any actions to be taken against this unrepresented and misshapen revolt as you so call it, the crown will be the first to pay. I am always involved, try not to forget that Dylan. Need I remind you not all of us got here because of a glorified father figure, I built my way up, and don't you forget it!" Hamlin snapped back.

"Gentlemen please. This council must learn to play nice." Sally reminded.

"No my queen, when Dylan here learns that law and justice does not supersede my treasury, then we'll play fair. Look at this!" Hamlin threw papers Dylan's way. "Summons: Echidnopolis! Sand Blasters! Golden Hive! Dragons! Wolf Pack Nation! All of them! This nation owes more money now than debt accrued over the last three hundred years and King Arthur himself. If it wasn't for me none of you would be here now!" Hamlin stopped throwing papers and threw his back on his chair.

"I will take care of the summons." Dylan commented, his voice dialed down to a peep.

"You sure as hells will and I will not fund any more unnecessary raids for you Penelope. If I have to I will go down there myself and tell- as a matter of fact, why don't I? To show this council that there still remains some backbone here I will go speak with Tristan and Bors myself. I will quell this insufferable heresy once and for all. Excuse me my queen!" Hamlin pushed his chair aside, gathered a few documents and left the council speechless.

"There is no more room to fill. Wing Screw, Capnut, and even the biggest, Chestnut Prison are all filled." Dylan said. Even the mention of Chestnut Prison sent a cold shiver through the entire council. Only the maniacs were sent to Chestnut.

"I was going to say, before Hamlin barged out, we need to enlarge the police force, we don't have enough to quell, as Hamlin said, even the slightest of revolts." Penelope added. "We also believe that Bors has fled the country, perhaps to go back to Knottingham, making these revolts harder to control, if that be true. And don't forget the Golden Hive."

"What of the Golden Hive?" Sally closed her eyes, it was at this point that she would normally tune out and feel the stress of the entire kingdom on her shoulders.

"This we can actually prove, "Penelope started, "Our informants have spotted Golden Hive beyond the borders of the Great Forest. An invasion, perhaps?"

"Don't be daft, the Hive wouldn't risk an invasion so far north." Sally snapped.

"Don't be too sure of that." Bernie finally spoke with a weird monotonous tone. "A letter from the Hive, check the seal. It's the king's." Bernie handed the queen the letter. "It states that interfering with any action taken against the Dragon Kingdom would be a direct insult and would otherwise make our alliance meaningless." Bernie shook her head from her trance and faced the queen. "Just summed up."

"Do they not realize how much trouble we are all in?" Sally whispered to no one in particular while reading the letter. "Wouldn't it be better if we all joined under one banner?" Sally hoped with wishful thinking. "There is a new evil that is on our doorstep and we might not even survive the morning of that invasion."

The council stopped again and stared at their queen as she spoke again, "If it were that simple I would say, I forgive you Regina and Jun Kun. I forgive the Dingo's for what they did to Echidnopolis, I forgive the Dragons and the Hive for whatever they are fighting over. I'm sorry for you Ban for your lost daught-"The queen stared off into nothingness. She thought of the night Bors had mentioned a niece that he had. She thought of anyone in that banquet who should have been there but wasn't. _Who on Mobius?!_ She thought. She looked at Penelope. "Penelope your right, we do need to build the police force. I will send the funds myself. Your first priority is locating Bors, I don't care what it takes, get me Bors _here_ , alive and well."

"Yes my queen." Penelope responded.

"Bernie, "Sally pointed at the hedgehog, "I need you to take what you need and find the Destructix, train them, they will need you. As for Jules, I cannot allow you to go looking for him, it is too risky, let me take care of that."

"Dylan, "I need another petition sent to the Wolf Pack Nation, we need them on our side. And, Dylan, find me Merlin Prower. For Gods sake we need him now, more than ever."

"At once my queen." Dylan said excitedly.

"We will end this war." Sally exclaimed.

* * *

Castle Little Beak was always bleak, Hamlin remembered the last time he came there. His job was not a fair one, but it paid extremely well. The pig did not go in the castle however, he just met with Bors outside the castle walls.

"They are looking for you Bors." Hamlin told the hedgehog.

"I wonder, what gave me away? Was it you old friend?" Bors asked, arms crossed and staring at the ground.

"You're stupid rebellion was premature and will be short lived." Hamlin chuckled, which sounded more like oinks, he thought he held all the cards. "When you see Regina, tell her I was the one handing the kingdom to her, not you."

"Anything else your future highness?" Bors asked, holding his temper.

"Yes in fact." Hamlin proudly walked closer to Bors. But the hedgehog only held his tongue and listened, "Since the Legion won't be needing you anymore, send my regards to the seven hells, oh… and to the Dark One." The pig excused himself as Bors prepared for his long departure, never to return again, never to be seen.


	5. Chapter 4: Excalibur's Shards

**Chapter 4**

 **Excalibur's Shards**

High Sheriff Mordred Hood walked the maze that was the dungeons of Knottingham. With his hand he followed the stone walls down the stairs leading to the lower dungeon where his advising was much needed again. His forked tongue tasted a stench most foul in the godsforsaken dark hole of putrid imprisonment. Most foul indeed, it made him make a face. The torch he took shined on one side of his head, revealing a battle scar from the left temple to his eye. His missing left eye was something he did, and he did not take pride in it. But his missing eye wasn't the only thing he longed to have back. He stopped at the end of the lonely hall, the farthest bars seemed even more desolate and were never taken care of. It was a bloody miracle how those bars still held together. And they held the once great king of Knottingham. Now reduced to stink and guilt. A lifeless tanned hedgehog turned tanner for lack of sunlight. The snake crouched and looked around, he stuck the torch on the mud and sat his back on the bars.

"They've named me High Sheriff now. Ever ssince Armand D'Coolette died, we never really focussed on replacing his "good" name." The snake chuckled. "That old fool. He wass a fool, and hiss son was too." He said sadly. "Did you know, that, _he_ wass the one who recommended me? Of all the vile men in the world. I guess, I just sseemed viler to him. And now I have this to show for it." He touched his scar and where his eye would be.

Mordred continued, "I mean really, what are we? What have we become if not old, despised, men? Well, you mostly… I of course mean no offense." He asked again, "What are we?"

There only was a loud, obnoxious cough from the king as a response.

"I asked Friar Buck to send the Bandits to keep an eye out. We still don't know where she is. I guess that's a good thing. Luckily he as well is out of sight and mind." The snake chuckled again. "You know, you still have that old buck as a friend. And you have many friends, in high, and low places." Mordred thought of himself. "The East remembers my king. I will do my best to keep Amelia safe, for that I swear with what's left of my life."

The king sat up and placed his back on the bars touching the hood of the snake. Ban placed his left hand on the left shoulder of the snake and coughed, "T-thank you Mordred."

With that the snake abruptly sat up and left the poor sod alone again. The flames of his torch seemed to fly and give another awful mixture in the air.

In total darkness the king thought, _Perhaps it was a mistake to send her to Hector. Gods know the kid despises me._

The snake made his way to one particular hallway of Knottingham Castle that was not guarded or patrolled as much. Now he had to watch out for not only King Ban's men but the Irons that now lead them. One crevice was lit by a torch and the snake looked left and looked right multiple times. Once he saw that he was in the clear, Mordred touched the cold bricks in front of him in a pattern and pulled the torch down. Instantly the wall he faced moved away from him and opened a path and a stairway down to his right. He took the path and the wall moved back again.

The walls echoed what was concealed inside of them, "Oramus autem obscurum." They rung with dark chants and hums. The only light came from the torch Mordred still held and the small light in the chamber below. "In nomine uiuendum atque moriendum est." The snake pulled his cloak to cover his face and repeated the last phrase in common tongue, "Everlasting be His reign." When the snake reached the lower chamber filled with one light in the center of a surrounding group, the group looked towards him.

"Brother Mordred, "A woman's voice, the one who presided spoke, "It isn't like you to be late." The woman was clothed in the same cloak like everyone else, but her face was of an echidna.

"Late iss the hour in which we meet, late hass been the completion of my mission. The king iss behind barss and he can no longer interfere with our planss. The hour of our victory iss nigh." The snake hissed at the echidna Grandmaster.

"Then our newfound alliance with the Irons wasn't all that bad." Lien-Da of house Dimitri, the echidna Grandmaster looked over to a robed cat looking every day more like an old, white wolf. Her crimson hair drooped down her cloak. Lien-Da cut all of her quills for the Legion and hung them around her neck.

Razorklaw growled angrily, his white scruff surfaced with passion. The cat was so committed to the Legion of Darkness he himself took an eye, a hand, a fang, and a few toes, which made him off balance and were needed to be replaced by wooden toes. His hand was replaced with a small spike. He hung the three around his neck. "Jun Kun and his ilk cannot be trusted! Nevertheless, they are a means to an end and will help us retake our new kingdom."

"Ungrateful whelp." A brown echidna mumbled from behind his cloak.

"Xenin you worthless ingrate! I'll have your blood over me yet! All of it!" Razorklaw threatened and picked the brown echidna up with one hand.

Xenin struggled, "We were all thinking it."

But when the cat motioned to strike, Lien-Da interrupted, "Razorklaw! Let him speak." At that the cat pushed the echidna to all fours.

Dimitri (first Grandmaster), the echidna that was given unnatural long life along with and beside Doctor Finitevus, chuckled.

Xenin coughed and quickly got up, trying his best to not appear weakly, spoke, "This Legion has been corrupted by the impure! When we let other races join, other than echidnas! That-was our fall." Xenin spat near the ground where Razorklaw stood, making him growl ferociously.

It made Finitevus extremely angry to see his Legion squabble, and Dimitri noticed this.

Lien-Da rolled her eyes and pushed Xenin to the ground. She yelled at him while she kicked him to near death. When she finished she saw Xenin incapacitated and bleeding. Lien-Da motioned for her right hand woman Gae-Na to dispose of him. Still breathing heavily she asked, "Dimitri, when you started the Legion what was your proof and worth to it?"

Dimitri answered and smiled, "I killed my father, mother, and both saved and destroyed Echidnopolis."

Lien-Da asked again, "Doctor Finitevus, how did you prove your worth?"

A soft and low voice of the echidna spoke, "Albion has ruins now."

The Grandmaster asked the cat, "Brother Razorklaw?"

The old cat answered, "I finished the Wolf Pack's Alpha."

Lien-Da started again, "We have truly fallen when we turn on our brothers. There is no room for weakness or doubt here! I will not have any worthless scum taint my Legion!"

Some brothers nodded, Mordred gulped nervously.

The Grandmaster continued, "This Legion has not forgotten its true purpose of overthrowing that low-life Mitre and retaking our city. But be reminded that I take instruction from the Dark One himself! He knows all, and sees all. Or would you question his authority?!" When she asked the question, no one answered, and they all quieted down. They feared the power of the Dark One, they had each beheld it at least once, bearing testimony of his dark power in their hearts.

"Now, "Lien-Da took a long breath of air, "who killed the boy?"

"Antoine was a fool, the Legion is glad to be rid of him." Brother Simon, another echidna answered.

"That doesn't answer my question now does it Brother Simon?" Lien-Da questioned the echidna making him tremble with respect.

"The king was said to be the last person to be with Antoine, "Mordred commented, "There may be little doubt now, he killed him, with his own sword."

"And where is that little sword?" Lien-Da asked.

"With the princess, Ban confessed to me." Mordred said.

"How hard is it to find one girl?!" Lien-Da yelled. "She has a brother people! Start there!"

"That- I can arrange myself Grandmaster. I will recover Arondight." Mordred volunteered.

"No," Lien-Da thought," I need you here doing whatever Sheriffing entails. Brother Razorklaw, I think you'll have some fun with this one. Bring me the princess, alive, do what you will with the rest. Perhaps that'll get Ban talking." The echidna Grandmaster smiled and laughed, gleeful at her achievements. "Galatine, Morgause, and the Irons have Graal, and now Arondight. All we need is Laevatein and Caliburn."

"Where is Laevatein?" Rykor, a young, crimson echidna asked.

Lien-Da was not too pleased to hear the question, "You fool! What have we been planning for decades?! Sir Percival was a cat, and who do you think she gave Laevatein to? Her daughter you imbecile! All the way down to the queen. Why do you think she received death threats?!" The Grandmaster yelled at the befuddled echidna. "Because Ban was supposed to marry a Lancelot, you fool! Gods I'm working with children! We find the Deerwood Bandits we find the queen, isn't that right Brother Mordred?"

The snake confirmed and nodded his head, "That is what Ban told me."

"Then what is our plan of attack now Grandmaster?" Dimitri asked, knowing what his next few moves would be.

"I thought you'd never ask Dimitri." Lien-Da turned to him. "Get everyone in position, and when I give the go, Dimitri, you send our friend the Mitre back to the dust that conceived him." Lien-Da stole a glance at Gae-Na who smiled back at her. "Darwin will face his bitter end, you've earned it Dimitri. And the Dark One will reign supreme with us at the head of his beautiful and new kingdom."

The group repeated in unison, "Everlasting be His reign," and were dismissed.


	6. Chapter 5: The Courageous

**Chapter 5**

 **The Courageous**

 **Section II**

The old echidna shifted from left to right, his dreams had been making him sweat profusely as of late. "Aurora", he whispered, "Enerjak". "No!" He yelled, sitting up on his bed and alarming his wife greatly.

"Locke what is it?!" The echidna woman asked her husband. She lit a match and grabbed a candleholder. She placed it where she could see him better. Locke had been gasping for air. He was slightly hyperventilating as he stared into nothingness. "Dear?" She touched him worrying he was having a stroke.

The sudden touch sent him in a wild craze but he stopped and stared at his wife, "Nothing, Lara-Le, nothing. Where's Knuckles? Is he safe? Where is he?"

"Locke you are worrying me." Lara-Le tried to calm Locke down.

But the old echidna only asked again, "Where?!"

"In his room! What is the matter with you?" Lara-Le asked as Locke sped out of their room and into the hall.

Locke opened the door of his son's room and checked to see if he was there. Lara-Le went in after him and held the candle straight helping Locke see his tired son waking up.

"Momma? Poppa? What time is it?" A very young Knuckles asked.

"Rest easy son. We begin your training tomorrow morning." Locke took a deep breath and left his son's room.

Lara-Le stopped her husband in the middle of their homes' hallway and angrily asked, "Do you want to tell me what that was all about?"

"Leave it alone Lara-Le." Locke stretched his arms in the air.

"Why do you always do this?" Lara-Le asked.

"I can't tell you. Something has come up, and you will not be there for his training." The old echidna said sadly but his wife did not notice.

"Have you gone mentally insane? What on Mobius is the matter with you?" She asked.

"That's the last I want to hear of it." Locke said brusquely hurting his wife's feelings. Still she could not believe what she had heard her husband say. She did not rest easy that night, but neither did he.

Lara-Le's green eyes mixed with reddened rage and sadness. She had been crying at any chance she could get. But she would not let Knuckles see. How could she go back to her home in Echidnopolis knowing that she might not see her boy in many years? The three stood atop the floating island. Knuckles meanwhile admired what he would be guarding.

"We talked about this for years. You're really set on this aren't you?" Lara-Le asked her husband.

Locke looked out beyond the island with her and answered, "Yes. I'm sorry it has to be this way."

"You couldn't even give me an explanation. You coward." Lara-Le attempted to hold her tears in but failed.

"Come along now son, "Locke said to Knuckles, "say goodbye to your mother. It will be at least a decade before you can see her again."

"I'll miss you momma." Knuckles hugged his mother while she did so as well, crouching. "Don't cry momma. I'll be doing what dad used to do, and I promise to be the best at it too!"

"I know you will Knuckles." Lara-Le fought with every atom in her being to express joy for her son, and push aside all negative feelings for her husband. When she hugged her son for the last time a very old fox with a long, white beard and staff took her away.

"He will be fine. I will look after him as well." The old fox explained, trying to console Lara-Le.

As they walked away Merlin held the young echidna, but she almost turned back and spoke, "Explain it to me Merlin, because I have had it, I can't do this." She turned and saw her husband place his hat on his son.

"Locke knows what he is doing. He may not be the best at explaining himself but he has good reason." Merlin began, his memory failing him. "I did know him since he was a boy, he has not changed a bit my dear." Merlin began again to take Lara-Le away. The last thing she saw of her son was Locke giving his knuckle mitts to her son.

When Merlin made port back to her home in Echidnopolis she had a splitting headache and asked the wizard to stay with her.

"What is this all for really? The brotherhood? It's been reduced to him and a few friends of ours. Simon? Floren-Ca? Locke and I are what's left of the Edmund Clan, I can't lose my Knuckles Merlin. I just can't." Lara-Le felt woozy, she thought perhaps she might faint.

"You will not Lara-Le, I will make sure of it." Merlin promised. "Locke did mention something about dreams he had been having, about Athair. I'm not sure what it means, but I know it is important." Merlin scratched his head trying his best to remember.

"Our ancestor Athair? Oh my God, I've lost Locke too and now you believe his nonsense." Lara-Le lay her head on her couch. "I won't lose… him." The echidna drifted off with intense tiredness.

"Experiment one-hundred-and-twelve." Locke injected himself with what looked like a yellow substance. It hang from a bag attached to his arm. His son lay on a metal slab next to him, worrying greatly for what his father was doing to himself or what he might to do him.

"Poppa what is that!?" Knuckles yelled, he squirmed but it was no use, he was tied tightly on the metal slab. He could not see anything around him, only black. He must have still been on the island he thought.

"Quiet son!" Locke closed his eyes and felt the substance ooze through his veins, he concentrated on it. He scratched his beard, hoping it would work this time. When he opened his eyes again he looked himself over. The substance had gone through but had he changed? Locke seemed to check every bit of himself before slamming his fists on his table and scaring his son even more. "Why?! Why won't it work?!" He cried quietly for his son. "I'm sorry son."

"Poppa what are you doing?" Knuckles asked as Locke strapped the bag on his son's arm. Locked tapped a large microphone beside the table to see if it was working. He waved his hand to the distant blackness and he saw a blue light shine, so he proceeded.

"Experiment one." Locke injected the substance in his son making him wail with tears. His son slammed what he could from his body on the metal slab feeling more pain than he had in his short lifetime.

"Poppa it hurts!" Knuckles screamed.

"You have to, it's your duty. Don't squirm! You won't remember this." Locke answered unsympathetically.

A few years later the experiments Locke did on his son were a success and he told his son, "I'm going into town, King Maximillian has asked that the Brotherhood of Guardians attend a meeting of dire importance. So I go where I am called."

"I'll miss you poppa." Knuckles said.

"Me too son. I'll be back before you know it." Locke answered.

* * *

"Cosmo you have to eat something. Anything, please." Helen knocked on her door again, and again. The human girl could hear the plant girl whimpering. That's all she would see or hear of Cosmo since her fight with Tails.

Helen parted her bright, blonde hair to press her ear against Cosmo's door. The human girl set her plate of food down on the floor next to the door and sat herself, her back on the door and waited.

"Cosmo." Helen started. She closed her eyes and imagined what trouble her new friend might be in. She quieted so as to not say something that might be unwanted or otherwise unnecessary. She thought of Chris telling her that he had a new invention for Sonic or that he was on the verge of completing the gateway between their worlds. Chris once had shown her more than one mathematical equations on how simple it was to travel time, but how difficult it was to open port to another world. He said that he could apply his time traveling equations to the gateway but that his dimensionality ideas would not work. She wondered how he had made it work, and how on earth she was able to travel as well. In Chris' note it said he was the only one to be able to use the gateway. Upon further inspection Helen discovered that Chris designed the machine so that it would only be able to be activated with his specific DNA code- making it impossible for Helen to turn it on.

She had exhausted every strategic plan to reach Chris, until one day, out of the blue, she was pulled to their world, in the middle of walking to the gateway. It was mysterious that it had not been turned on-as far as she knew- and how far away she was from it.

"I find it a little funny," Helen started again, "that you met Chris, and here I am still so far away from him. It's been six years since I've seen him." Helen choked on her words with emotion for a moment but stopped herself. She needed to be stronger for Cosmo. "Every year I would light a candle for his birthday, and wished with all my being for his return. And every year I received nothing. Nothing, until I was sent here, a little closer to him. For that I am grateful."

Helen smiled showing dimples on her cheeks when the door opened and the green girl closed it behind her and sat next to Helen.

Cosmo began, "Is it hard?" She sniffed.

Helen chuckled feeling tears stream, "You know, I turned twenty-four a few months back, and still, being older, it just doesn't seem to go away. Although I now sound and look like I'm twelve." She laughed and that made Cosmo giggle.

"You're so old, I think." Cosmo commented. "I'm sorry about Chris. H-he never talked about you, I wonder why, you sound very pretty." Cosmo jokingly reached for Helen's face, missing, and poking her nose instead. "Oh, I'm so sorry."

Helen giggled, moving Cosmo's hands around her head, feeling gawky doing so.

"We're you two… you know… ever a couple?" Cosmo asked.

"No. Well, of sorts, but no." Helen answered, looking down guiltily.

"Then why do you care about him so much." Cosmo covered her mouth, "I'm sorry, that was mean, or rude, and just forget I said anything."

"Cosmo it's fine." Helen reassured. "Because I love him. It took me a few years of crying over him to realize it, but I know it to be true."

Helen's answer made Cosmo think of Tails. What she was doing, it most likely was hurting Tails. And she herself said it finally that she loved him, in front of him. But now what was it all? She felt ashamed for not talking to him.

Helen continued, "He took care of me, "She showed large dimples that time, "he was always there. Sure he seemed busy with all his gadgetry, but we grew close."

"You were in a chair of wheels right? Because you could not walk?" Cosmo asked.

"Yeah. And trust me, I don't miss it." Helen looked and admired her legs, she did that a lot. "But yeah, we had our moments, and he was going to fix our world but I never knew what his plans were."

"What was wrong with it?" Cosmo asked.

"It was the moon." Helen answered but gave no other details, and they both fell silent for a long moment.

"So," Cosmo began again, "I guess it would be inappropriate for me to ask about Rimas then? You do spend more of your time with him."

"Well, I would say it was because he's the only human I know. Well, the only human I'd want to spend my time with here. I don't much like Doctor Eggman. We pair up nicely I think, but only because we feel a little left out." Helen added, "And he gave me flowers the other day."

"How very nice of him." Cosmo said sadly. "And it was nice of you to spend more time with me… It would be hard for me to do things on my own, now since Tails is…"

"C'mon." Helen got up and helped Cosmo. "I know what will cheer you up."

"Oh?" Cosmo asked, intrigued as Helen led her down and out the front door where a tall, built, black man stood waiting.

"Good morning my ladies." Rimas bowed gracefully.

"Always such a gentleman." Helen smirked.

"What? Isn't that how we greet in your time? They did so like this in mine." Rimas remembered.

"Oh shush, "with a hand Helen dismissed the large man and said," come with us, we just need to take one little stop."

"Gladly girlie, or chickie. Am I getting close?" Rimas asked.

"Shut up." Helen joked and took Rimas' arm as they walked towards the town of Thumbnut and the very squiggly trail. Helen led Cosmo and made sure she did not trip on anything.

"I actually don't know that one." Rimas pondered. "What could I possibly shut-up?"

When the three reached Thumbnut it was busy, but as busy as Thumbnut could get. It was always quiet even with animals about. Selling, talking, gossiping, buying, even the kids jumping around seemed to be doing so softly and quietly. Some were staring at the blind girl and at the two humans. Both because Cosmo was an outsider, and because they had seen her before. And it made Helen and Rimas do a double take when they reached the center of town, to find a fountain and a statue of Cosmo.

"What is it?" Cosmo asked.

"Well, it's… you. A statue of you." Helen pointed out.

"Me? A statue of me? Why?" Cosmo asked both intrigued and embarrassed.

"You did a very noble thing, I'm sure this was done by our friends, you should be happy." Helen admired the fountain and read the inscription below the statue: "Last of her kind, savior of the galaxy." The statue itself was of her holding a flower and staring forward.

"Of course I can't even remember it." Cosmo muttered angrily, starting to blush.

Rimas looked at the green girl, "You're a very special girl Cosmo. It is an honor to even be in your presence."

"Thanks, I guess." Cosmo was too busy still thinking about what she lost, and why she was depressed in the first place.

The trio made their way outside of town, and a little ways inside the forest they found the humble home of Vanilla and Cream. They half expected Vector to open and to their surprise still, he opened the door.

"Hey guys, I reckon you're here for Cream. Please come in, I was just on my way out. The lady is havin' me go shopping." The crocodile pointed a finger down his throat.

"Perfect, we'll go with you." Helen said, "I know they have malls here. They have malls here right?"

"Yeah something like it. They have it in the town over uh, Hayseed." Vector shifted his weight on the threshold of the round door frame.

"She's in her room!" Vanilla peeked out of the kitchen to see the three and Vex still there. She made a face and he did so as well telling her he was waiting on them.

Helen smiled and waved at the tall rabbit, "Good morning Vanilla."

"Madam." Rimas bowed and Helen giggled.

"Hi." Cosmo guessed which way Vanilla's voice came from and waved at the wall.

"Good morning, how are you three?" Vanilla asked looking up still doing her work.

"Fantastic!" Helen exclaimed

"Capricious, with miss fantastic here." Rimas joked.

"Well." Cosmo lied plainly as Helen fixed her point of view.

Vanilla began eyeballing Vex with impatient intensity as Helen added as she and Cosmo climbed upstairs, "We won't be long."

* * *

"{To the second power, negative one. {To the v second power, one. {To the x plus y, zero. Two v to the second, y, d, z, d, y, d, x. In-… integral… iterated integral…" Cream sighed heavily. She was sitting on her bed with a quill in hand staring blankly at a paper. Cheese was so bored he lay snoring beside her. She tried again, "Three point one five over eight. No, five-hundred thirteen over eight. No! I give up…" The rabbit set the quill on the paper brusquely and impatiently. She looked back to see her Tails plushie and sighed again. "Numbers are stupid." She began, "When will I ever use this in my life?"

There came a knock and it spooked Cream but she responded, "Come in." In came Helen and the green girl that made Cream furious to just look at. But Cream held her fury at bay and unnoticeable.

"Hiya Cream, we came to see how you were." Helen hugged the rabbit as did Cosmo as Helen guided her.

"I'm okay." Cream lied, she was far from okay and both other girls could tell. "I'm just here, studying. That's all mother has me do now."

Helen studied the paper as she sat next to Cream on her bed, "Integrals huh? Before majoring in medicine I tried quantum mechanics so this should be simple stuff to teach if you want. Wow, I didn't see calculus until I was fourteen. How old are you Cream?" She asked while a certain plushie caught her attention. She then looked at Cosmo and did some math herself.

"Nine." Cream spoke indifferently. She wondered what Helen might mean by quantum mechanics or even calculus, but she pushed the thought aside dismissing it as another weird human thing.

"Why don't I come back tonight and help?" Helen offered.

Cream looked the human's way, "Sure if you want."

"Great! Do you want to come with us to the mall? Or whatever you call it?" Rimas and I came up with some Mobiums doing work around Thumbnut. I could do with a new dress." Helen excitedly invited Cream.

"I can't, "Cream responded, "I'm still grounded. Mother has me on a tight schedule."

"That's too bad." Helen looked back at the Tails plushie, "Do you want us to get you anything? We can come back." She looked at Cosmo, "We'll come back."

"No, it's fine, you don't have to get me anything." Cream reassured.

As Helen started to leave Cosmo snapped out of her trance and said, "It was nice to see you Cream."

"You too Cosmo." Cream said, still angry at her.

"C'mon we don't have all day." Vector exclaimed impatiently. As he closed the door behind him he looked at Rimas with a glint of deep, forgetful thought, "Hey did we ever meet on Chris' world?"

Rimas shook his head, "I'm not from that time." Rimas' response left Vector wondering. "Did you send greetings from me?" Rimas asked Helen as the four headed for Hayseed, east of Thumbnut.

"We'll be back." Helen forgot. "Why didn't you come up yourself?"

"That would not have been appropriate." Rimas blushed behind his dark skin.

Helen rolled her eyes and wondered, "Hey, you know what I don't know about you?"

"What might that be?" Rimas asked curiously.

"What's your last name?" Helen asked, ready and waiting for a dorky name.

Both Vector and Cosmo thought it strange to have other names, on Mobius it wasn't common to have a second name, but it was not unheard of. Rimas however seemed shifty and uncomfortable at the question.

Helen looked forward instead of at Rimas, thinking she had crossed some kind of sensitive line. "Sorry, I didn't think it was personal."

"Yours first." Rimas played and smiled Helen's way, making her smile too.

"Promise me you won't laugh, "Helen pointed her finger his way.

"You swear it as well." Rimas asked.

"Deal." Helen promised.

"Very well." Rimas also waited for a strange, foreign name to make fun of.

"Fitzgerald, "Helen said. It made Rimas laugh through his nose. "Hey! You promised!"

Rimas put his hands up still chuckling, "Narud."

"Hah!" Helen slapped her mouth with her hands. "Hm, sounds Persian." But Rimas did not respond.

"Oi! Watch yourself!" A duck sped by with a wagon filled with all kinds of vegetables nearly hitting Vector.

"'Ey I'm walkin' 'ere!" Vex returned the compliment. The four had made it to Hayseed. It was much like Thumbnut only with larger buildings and more noise. The croc turned to the three, "A'right, let's meet back here in an hour. They sell everything you ladies need over there." He pointed at the larger buildings. He pulled a quill and paper from his headphone and walked off.

When the three reached the buildings they noticed they really did sell anything. From fashionable clothing to food unheard of, _so kind of like a mall_ , Helen thought.

"I'll be close by, "Rimas wandered off. Animals began to give stares at the two humans and at the plant girl.

Helen admired a large fountain in the center of the mall, and looked around for a decent store. She noticed a round opening and a sign that said: Mode. "Ooo la la." She sped and dragged Cosmo along with her. But as Helen shrieked and tried half of the clothing in the store, Cosmo found a place to sit down and thought to herself.

 _I'm a terrible plant being. I wish I could just die._ The thought of her dying would normally alarm her. But she had thought it so often now it came naturally. She covered her eyes as she felt tears forming in her eyes. _I can't see. I can't do anything for myself. I'm just a bother to everyone around me._ Cosmo heard Helen talk to her.

"You've got to try this on! This would look fabulous on you!" Helen shrieked a few more times.

Cosmo was more than reluctant but she went to a changing room and struggled to put on what seemed like a dress. She could not see it and so to her, she did not care for it much.

"Oh. My. Goodness! You look amazing! You rock the dress girl!" Helen yelled as Cosmo displayed what she could not see.

"Hm, is that good?" Cosmo asked. Helen's comment made her self-esteem rise. She twirled around slowly.

"Okay, we are getting you that dress." Helen excitedly told Cosmo.

"No, it's probably too much, and I don't have any reason to wear it." Cosmo sounded sad again.

"Nonsense!" Helen dismissed Cosmo's comment.

When the two were done Helen both guided Cosmo and was able to carry bags filled with clothing and materials that seemed like make-up. A certain sound made Helen stop and look around. It seemed as if someone was yelling at another animal. Helen dropped her bags and saw on the other side of the mall was a black and white skunk pointing a knife at a girl working the register.

"Uh! Someone want to call Sonic? We should get out of here." Helen whispered to Cosmo.

"What? Why?" Cosmo asked. "I don't have my wrist communicator with me. What's wrong?"

"Zut!" The skunk with the blue ascot yelled as he noticed the Acorn police force was running straight at him from both sides of the store. He quickly grabbed what money he could, stuck it in his black, leather jacket and ran at Helen and Cosmo.

"Ow!" Cosmo was pushed to the ground, still not knowing what was happening, worrying her more.

"Right. Nobody move! Or I'll stick her with this!" The skunk had been pulling Helen away with him while threatening to cut her throat with his knife. The force stopped and Rimas eyes widened nervously as he tried talking to the skunk.

"Easy, no one has to get hurt." Rimas tried reasoning with the skunk. "Take what you want, just leave her alone."

"Or what? Uhh." The skunk turned to see the built man speaking to him. "Back off big guy."

A plump pig dressed in blue and red uniform talked to the skunk, "Go easy on yourself Jeffrey. You don't want to do this."

"Don't I?!" The skunk yelled at the officer. "Stay back!" He slowly moved away heading towards the forest with a nervous Helen.

"Stop!" Cosmo still laying on the ground yelled at the skunk. She spread her arms out in panic, fearing that the skunk might hurt her friend. Suddenly the ground began to shake, and it made the skunk a little off balance. The ground split and crumbled and out came brown roots and tangled everything they came in contact with. Luckily the force was out of the way and everything leading to the skunk. The roots made contact with the skunk.

"Hey what's the big-" The skunk dropped his knife letting Helen get away as some of the roots entangled his legs and quickly spread to his arms and climbed all around him. When the roots stopped Helen reached for Cosmo and asked if she was alright. Rimas then asked that about Helen. And the pig leading the force began restraining the skunk.

"You're going away for a long time Jeffrey. And we're making sure you stay there." The pig reminded the skunk as he struggled to get free from the roots.

The skunk directed to Helen and Cosmo and thought of the only thing that seemed reasonable at the time, "I know your face! When I get out I'll find you! Or my name is Jeffrey San Croix!"

"Oh no you don't." The pig intervened. "Third strike you crazy skunk! We're taking you to Chestnut Prison this time."

The thought of being in a cell in the infamous prison made Jeffrey extremely nervous, "No! You can't! Anywhere but there!"

"I'm fine." Cosmo answered as the Helen picked her up. She still was not sure what she had done.


	7. Chapter 6: The BMetal, The GShort Hair

**Chapter 6**

 **The Boy Of Metal, The Girl Of Short Hair**

"No!" The High Father and the rest of the exalted beings surveyed what was left of the Beacon of Hope. It looked like the demons had already gotten there first.

Cream looked at the crumble and at the dead beings sadly. She had no comment for what had happened. She left the group again to see if they were alone. She felt unsafe traveling in such a large group, and leaving them always made her feel better. Cream placed the robe over her head again and touched Caliburn's hilt, holding it at the ready. _Where does one go when they die here?_ She thought.

The exalted beings scattered sullenly, looking for life, disappointment and grief filled their minds and hearts. The High Father and his siblings gathered the remaining guardians and prepared to leave.

"I'm not ready High Father." Amel confessed. "It will be difficult without your guidance."

The High Father embraced Amel, "Not all are born leaders, but many are born teachers. Prepare the way Amel, you have an important calling."

The High Father looked at his children proudly and spoke to them as well, "The time has come to face our judgment. From this day, the mantle of creation is given to the future, "He saw the Inventor from afar, looking and listening, "do not fail." With a beam of light, Aman'Thul, Eonar, Norgannon, Khaz'Goroth, and Golganneth were taken by a beam of light, and would not be seen again.

The mammoth guardian Soferia looked around at the other guardians, "It is time we also go to our respective realities, and do what we were charged with." He looked at Amel, "Good luck Amel." And they were gone as well. Leaving Amel, the Inventor and a few exalted beings.

Amel thought, _if they look to me for guidance, I will not be able to help them. They must find another._ He looked to the rabbit, "Inventor, will you come with me?" He motioned for her and she followed him to a nearby courtroom resembling the temple from the Beacon of Reality.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked.

"I need your help." Amel said.

"With what exactly?" The Inventor sounded impatient and Amel turned to face her.

"I cannot lead them. I was charged to serve, not inspire. But I have seen you do that, again and again." Amel explained.

"What are you talking about?" The rabbit asked.

Amel continued and led them both into a large room filled with portraits and sculptures. The massive room held writings of old and new, pictures of heroes and clay swords of greatness. "Why do you think we talk about the Augury so often, and as blatantly as you said?"

The rabbit did not respond but Amel continued, "Because it gives us hope, it is what we have left of the Precursor. And now even he is gone."

"If only you knew." The Inventor spoke out of turn, but Amel was intrigued, he stopped admiring the sculptures of the Augury he knew so very well and faced the cloaked rabbit.

"Whatever do you mean?" Amel inquired.

The rabbit dismissed him with a hand and walked around a particularly large sculpture of a boy of metal, his hand was replaced with something bulky, circular, perhaps a weapon.

"Tell me I beg you." Amel inquired again.

"You would think differently if you had the knowledge I have." The rabbit looked at the sculpture sadly.

"Humor me." Amel tried again. This made the Inventor look at him with intense seriousness.

"Long ago I was told of the hell machine, the infernal contraption or what have you, but I was also told of the Augury, and what lies it brings. The creature you fear twists its agent's names, fooling even the brightest of us. I was told the Augury…" Cream stopped.

"A lie?" Amel finished. "No." He tried to dismiss the notion. Staring at the sculptures with incredulity.

"I'm wasting my time here, I have to leave." The Inventor started.

"You cannot, I need you Cream." Amel began, gaining his spirits back. The name made the rabbit tremble and she pushed the human on one of the sculptures of a girl with short hair helping another boy.

"How do you know that name? Who are you?!" The rabbit interrogated. "Answer quickly, I don't plan on staying here long. And my friend here can help with your answer." She pointed at Caliburn.

The rabbit had more strength than Amel and he could not let go of her push against him. He chuckled.

"What's so funny human?" She asked.

Amel remembered and started, "It's what you told me…"

"What! Spit it out!" The rabbit hissed at the human.

Amel reached for right hand with his left and pulled a silver ring from his wrist. The sight of the ring made the rabbit let the human go and she stumbled backwards in unbelief.

"Where did you-? Where did you get that?" She asked feeling for her wrist.

Amel reached for her hand to help her up but she would not take it. He said, "You told me we would meet, and that you would not help me, but that I should show you this." He lifted the silver ring again.

"You- you know me? You know that I'm Cream?" The rabbit asked. She looked at her wrist to see the exact silver ring on her.

"Yes." Amel answered, giving a hand again, but this time Cream took it. But the rabbit girl grabbed at him violently.

"Tell me! What else did I say! You tell me right now!" The girl seemed desperate and showed a new fearful side of her.

"I'm sorry." Amel said.

"No, please…You can't… you can't do this to me! I can't..." The girl clenched her fists and she stumbled to the ground still begging.

Amel sat on the ground and embraced her. "You cannot save him you said, to tell you that is… to not waste your time."

But before the Inventor could shed another tear for her loss she pushed Amel away and got up. "You don't know what you're talking about." She held her arm with sadness and looked away from Amel.

As soon as the human got up he sensed something in his heart. He sped around and looked to see what it was. "It can't be." He hurried outside and left the Inventor alone. He passed a being he knew as the librarian and her counterpart. He followed a blue, lit path that led him to the outskirts of the city. The ground he walked on all around him had either disappeared or had been broken and once he needed to tiptoe all the way to the very edge of the Beacon. Soon after the Inventor followed him and wondered what his alarming attitude was about.

Port opened from concentrated space and out came the dark, tattered, robed figure Moirasil. He held another girl in his arms. The dark Fate pulled back his robe and the Inventor and Amel could see his blue face splattered with red. He looked at the city and wondered what had happened.

"Moirasil!" Amel shouted.

"What… happened?" Moirasil asked trying to hide a smile.

"You don't know?" Amel questioned Fate, and Cream gasped quietly. The dark being shook his head.

"Quickly… Majordomo?" Fate asked.

"It's just me." Amel said, grabbing the weightless girl and beginning the ceremony.

Moirasil nodded and he walked towards her feet and held her there. Amel motioned for Cream and she held the girl's body while Amel was at her head.

Amel tried to begin, "Beings we… we give…" _Why can't I do this?_ Amel thought. "Please give this girl an exalted body." He quickly finished, and Moirasil gave Amel a queer look. "I'm sorry… there is no name I can give." Amel looked around. The Inventor was just as confused as him.

"Just… finish." Moirasil said with a raspy voice.

Amel placed his hand on the spirit's head and light energy passed through her entire spirit, giving her a glowing body. The tall cat gasped with new, and different air and the three held her and set her down gently.

Amel crouched down and the cat saw him. He said, "You are safe now, you are with friends. What is your name?"

The cat answered still gasping, "Blaze."


	8. Chapter 7: The Last Of The Series

**Chapter 7**

 **The Last Of The Series**

A long time ago this would have seemed strange to Sonic, but he had seen this happen before so it did not bother him as much. Although waking up so suddenly was drastic and made his head whirl. But he finally felt like he was recovering like he used to. The light above him was bright and hey lay on a metal slab, cushioned for his comfort.

The good doctor was expecting him to wake up sooner and yet he sat a few feet away from the blue hedgehog, waiting for his nemesis to throw his good hospitality in his face. And for his namesake and all he held dear in life such as his reputation he would not throw it back at the hedgehog. Instead he would make a deal with him.

"You sure are slow to recover." Decoe stared down, his long yellow head covered the light that shone brightly on Sonic's eyes.

"You can say that again." Bocoe also made his way to stare at Sonic.

"Leave him alone you circuit-brains!" The little, black, robot, Bokkun slammed his way through the yellow and gray robot's heads and stared at Sonic as well.

"You've got to work on your disses Bokkun. I have several circuits in my brain." Bocoe stated.

"Four-billion-three-hundred-and-seventy-six-million circuits." Decoe corrected.

"Six-million-eight-hundred-and-twenty-thousand-five-hundred-and-twelve, to be correct. A half circuit more than you Decoe." Bocoe added.

"Which is only used to take up short space." Decoe reminded Bocoe of his size.

"No!" Bocoe exclaimed, "Do you realize how many more processes I can make than you?"

The two robots began quoting how many processes they could do until Sonic shouted, "Alright! You're both pretty." Sonic sat up and shook his head wildly hoping to calm his haze. Unfortunately it only made it worse.

"I would offer you to stay and rest a while longer, but knowing you…" Doctor Eggman chuckled.

"Thanks doc!" Sonic started, feeling strength in his legs again, he pushed his weight to the ground and sat up, and stretched. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're becoming a good doctor."

"Don't push it freeloader." Eggman reassured him. "And just to surprise you once more, I swear on my grandfather's name I did not touch your broken emerald." He pointed at a bag next to the metal slab. "Count them if you like, they are all still there."

"Gee thanks Eggie." Sonic was surprised but before Sonic could dash out of the room, Eggman stopped him. "Got somethin' to say?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." Eggman stood up, crossed his arms behind his back, turned around, and pretended to be looking at some blueprints. "Before our meeting was unexpectedly interrupted by your uh, condition, we were beginning to come to an agreement."

"Oh were we?" Sonic asked intriguingly.

Eggman turned around again and stood in front of the hedgehog, he towered over him. "I'll spare the technicalities, let's say we come to a simple ordeal. Oh I've made a pun." Eggman chuckled playfully.

"I'm listening." Sonic crossed his arms.

"If I save you or your friends' lives again, you have to take me to see Sir Charles. And I want the full tour, no holds bar." Eggman smiled devilishly and extended his arm. "Deal?"

"Hmm. Seems alright to me." Sonic shrugged and shook the fat man's hand. "Later!" At that the hedgehog sped at lightning speeds and in a second left Eggman's base, which was docked close enough to land just for Sonic.

"Do you think he suspects anything doctor?" Decoe asked.

"Of course he does! He's smarter than he looks." Eggman slouched back on his chair feeling accomplished. His smile grew ever wider next to his long, orange, moustache. Almost immediately after Sonic's departure, loud sirens went off and rattled the entirety of Eggman's base. "Perfect timing. Ready E-123!"

* * *

"At least this is back." Sonic looked at his reflection with the help of the sea. He could see his breath in the cold weather. His shiny green eyes were glowing as before. But the bag he carried the shards did not glow. He rummaged through and pulled out the only shard that remained with green. The rest looked gray, but only the one was green. "Knuckles is not gonna' be happy about this." He dropped the shard back in the bag and sped to Thumbnut. In an instant he found himself at Vanilla's house, but before he knocked he sped around to the kitchen window and then to the living room window and noticed Cream intently staring at a table. Sonic tried to get her attention by doing all sorts of crazy moves and sounds. And finally Cream noticed and giggled at his antics.

When she opened the window Sonic said, "Hiya Cream, long time." He smiled warmly.

"Hi Sonic." Cream smiled

"I got something for ya'." Sonic pulled an exotic-looking flower from his emerald bag.

"It's beautiful." Cream grabbed the single flower with care, "What is it? Where did you get it?"

"Cat country, southeast of Golden Hive. I think they call it Fire Whiskers." Sonic answered.

"I love it." The rabbit felt wanted for a moment.

"I thought you might." Sonic smiled. "Have you heard from Amy yet?"

The sadness came back and Cream frowned, "No."

"What about Tails?" Sonic asked.

The question made Cream shake her head rapidly and her arms flailed about making Sonic chuckle but he stopped himself quickly. "Cosmo is back." Cream waited for a response.

It was a strange reaction but Sonic asked, "Cosmo?"

Cream nodded, "She lives in Tails' old house now with Helen. And Rimas lives with Tails now too."

"Huh." Sonic mused, "Can I do anything for you Cream?" Sonic changed the subject.

Cream only shook her head.

As Sonic waved goodbye and started to leave he caught himself saying, "Before I forget, can you keep these safe for me? I know I can trust you." He handed her the bag with the shards and Cream took them and saw him leave.

* * *

"What'd ya' mean you don't know?!" Knuckles spat on Sonic's face.

"I didn't hear there would be rain today on the T.A." Sonic wiped his face dry. "I never said that. I only said I was leaving them with Cream.

"No! You said they were colorless!" Knuckles jabbed his finger on the hedgehog's chest.

"Oh that. Yeah well, who knows? The Master Emerald will heal itself you know that. I'm just saying you should visit her, she didn't seem too happy and I thought she might be happy to see her friends." Sonic shrugged as Knuckles gave no reply but an angry look with crossed arms.

"We'll do it!" From afar the shack that was Knuckles' home opened up and Rouge's hand gave a thumbs up. Sonic did the same and headed for the transport.

When he placed himself accordingly inside a metal circle while pushing some snow out of the way, he looked back at the raging Knuckles. "It will be fine Knuckles!" Surface!" And instantaneously the transport sent him back down from Angel Island.

The next few seconds Sonic arrived at Tails' beach house but heard the sound of machinery from the garage and saw the second garage door opened and walked inside to see Tails with another one of his inventions. Tails was in the process of welding a metal compartment into a series of wires and plugs. When he stopped welding he did not look up.

"How are ya' buddy?" Sonic asked.

"Good." Tails said indifferently.

"How's Cosmo?" Sonic's question that time made him look up.

But he looked away again nonetheless and returned to his work, "How did you know?"

"A little birdie." Sonic played.

"She won't let me see her yet." Tails tried to say without any emotion.

"How come?" Sonic asked sympathetically.

Tails changed the subject, "If you see Eleos again, tell me immediately."

Sonic wondered, "Sure thing pal."

Sonic sped to Tails' old house where apparently Helen and Cosmo should have been but no one answered so he ran to Acorn Castle to see Sally. To him the process of getting to the queen was slow, he had to wait for the guards to open the gates, pass the portcullis, in through both walls, down a corridor, through another hall but he passed the queen through that hall, so he tried again, this time stopping in front of her. He realized how close he was to her making him and her blush. He stepped out of the way and said, "Excuse me. Uh, Hi. I mean, hello, uh Sally. It's been, well a few, and I wanted to say," Sonic had forgotten why he was there in the first place.

The queen only grabbed his arm and led him to the banquet hall, "Won't you have me for dinner?" She asked before entering the great hall. "I mean! Join me! Join me for dinner! I mean! Please, uhh." Sally felt red, hot fire forming on her cheeks. "Only if you want to… join I mean."

"I will have you. I mean! Dinner, I will have dinner! Dinner to join you with!" Sonic prepared for what seemed to him like the most unseasonable time someone might have with him. What with all the blushing and awkward remarks he made. He was definitely not good at these sort of things.

All sorts of chefs came in through anywhere it seemed, and it would normally be at this point when Sally would yell at them to not feed her what was left of the food in the kingdom. But on the other side of the table Sally instead yelled at the chefs to send Sonic all the food. And fifty yards away on the other end of the table, Sonic was offered everything in the kingdom. The chefs did not know what to do so they stood by Sonic as he ate slowly and with gawkiness.

"We've made preparations, as you insisted and with some personal modifications!" Sally had to yell for Sonic to hear. "All of the Kingdom has been given twice the amount of police force! And they are running drills every month! For the towns I mean! Oh and we've stockpiled food that will last us a season and a half! That's half a year!" Sally excitedly yelled.

"That's great!" Sonic yelled back.

"What?" Sally could not hear, and stopped munching on her food to listen more closely.

"That's great! I said…" Sonic screamed.

"What?!" Sally giggled.

"That's!" Sonic stopped, giggled, and took his plate, walked slowly and playfully and sat next to the queen. "Better." He smiled playfully and blushed. They both started to nervously play with their food, thinking of something to say to each other.

Sally thought of telling Sonic the rumors about Jules, but she had to think of her kingdom, but it wasn't right to keep it from him. "I sent Bernadette to find the Destructix and their leader Sergeant Simian." Sally thought that if she looked straight at Sonic she would never stop blushing, so she did not look at him while she talked.

Sonic thought the same thing so he answered at his food, "Hmm, okay." Stupid, stupid thing to say, he thought.

"You know-." They both started.

"You go." Sally said.

"No, you go first." Sonic said politely.

"I was-." They both said again and blushed and both shut up.

"We still can't find Merlin." Sally tried again.

"Not even in Albion?" Sonic asked.

"Not even in Echidnopolis where you told me. No one has seen him. And I could use his wisdom now more than ever." Sally sat back on her comfy chair.

Sonic squeezed the queen's hand without thinking, "He'll show up, trust me." When he noticed where his hand was he took it away and said, "Sorry."

"It is alright." Sally whispered and smiled weakly. "You look great! How could I forget? Did the emerald work?"

"It did something." Sonic responded, "I feel great." Sonic flexed for the queen but she wasn't amused.

When the two finished their meal they sat quietly until the queen spoke up, "We should do this again. I had fun… eating." Sally closed her eyes regretting even opening her mouth.

"Yes, sure." Sonic responded with disbelief. Something tiny but significant lingered in his mind when he agreed to it, something small and pink.


	9. Chapter 8: The Lying Lady

**Chapter 8**

 **The Lying Lady**

 _Happy birthday Sonic,_ Amy quietly celebrated in her thoughts. She looked at the ground disappointingly. _I should be there, with him_.

"Now." Espio told her and they moved from their hiding spot in the trees. It was dark enough that they would not be spotted and they made their way between a patrol of bulls heading east and around the camp and a few bats talking and eating. Amy and Espio both stopped behind a tent and waited for another patrol of bulls to go by. Soon they would get to where the tied prisoners were.

They moved with the patrols so as to cover the sound of them crouching towards the circle of chameleons and Acorns. They reached a couple of them tied together on a metal pole. Espio looked at each of them, some of them looked up, and others were too tired to see.

"She's not here." Espio headed for the next pole. But Amy grabbed at him.

"What about them?" Amy pointed at the ones they were leaving.

"Just hurry!" Espio left.

One of the prisoners noticed their possible saviors was carrying a familiar sword, he looked up at Amy and asked, "Lancelot?"

Amy unsheathed Arondight and with one thrust let loose the prisoners. She said, "No, hurry, behind us. Wait, where are the rest?"

The prisoner responded, "All around us, some are tied up on crosses."

Amy did a double take, "Wait are you from Knottingham?"

"Only me, the rest are Acorns and Dragons." He said.

"Quickly now, help us untie them." Amy commanded. The prisoners from that pole and the pole that Espio had checked helped the others get untied.

Amy looked around for Espio but was too late and heard a loud, "The prisoners have escaped! Sound the alarm!" Loudly a bell was rung and lights shone all around them, revealing weak, decrepit, dying prisoners attempting escape. Quickly they were surrounded by bulls and bats.

"This is it!" Over all of them jumped a giant ape of an animal and pushed three bulls aside with ease, grabbed their weapons and threw them back at the prisoners.

"You heard him men! Charge!" Someone yelled, led the assault and others followed suit attacking even without weapons.

The first wave seemed to drop dead with the bulls' long spears, the second was too overbearing and the bulls were taken back. But the pattern turned into utter chaos and there was bloodshed all around.

"Espio!" Amy yelled, but there was no response from the chameleon. She felt a push from a stranger and she fell on all fours. _Where is it?!_ She thought. She dropped Arondight and was scouring the mud. Soon she saw the glimmer and was only a few feet away. But something large lay before here. A bull ran straight for her with a spear, narrowly missing her stomach. She charged straight at the massive animal but he hit her with enough force to send her flying to the side.

When Amy got up the bull was charging for her again, Amy rapidly summoned a pink hammer and blocked her body with it and the spear hit the hammer, and sent her sticking onto a ruined wall where the spear and her hammer were hanging. The bull pulled out a large dagger, and Amy let go of her hammer before the bull stuck the dagger on the wall. Amy dropped and crawled through the bulls' legs and ran for Arondight.

The bull was confused but let his spear go and turned around to see Amy reaching for her sword. And the bull charged again with his dagger, this time he could not miss.

Amy finally grabbed the sword, laying down, and turned her whole body and aimed Arondight at the sky. She felt the force of the hilt digging into her ribs making her squeal. She had unknowingly stuck the bull with Arondight and all of his weight was centered on her ribs. She heard a crack and it made her cry out in agony. She pushed herself away from the hilt and the bull landed on her legs.

When Amy crawled from the dead corpse of the bull she pushed him aside with all her might and he lay face up with a sword through his chest. She pulled the sword and looked around. Animals were still fighting. She needed to run, run and go anywhere safe.

There was a clearing with less fighting and it led to the woods, so Amy took the clearing and ran. But she noticed she gasped loudly and fell. Her chin hit the ground and for a moment she lost her breath. She saw she was being pulled, she looked around and the bull was still alive pulling her with one giant hand around her boot. She squirmed and tried to get free. And the bull reached for his dagger, laughing, and she saw the dagger being forced from the air to the ground.

Out of nowhere the bulls' hand along with the dagger were sent flying across the noisy battlefield. The bull yelled in pain and looked around, his last memory was of him seeing a hedgehog slice through his neck and the bulls' head flopped and rolled down.

Amy was free and she squealed with fright. She noticed the blue hedgehog that had saved her, only he was not smiling, he was in pain. Her savior reached behind him, exasperated and swinging his sword around. There was an arrow that had suddenly appeared on his back next to his shoulder. Amy got up, picked up Arondight and helped the hedgehog get away. She aimed for the clearing.

"No! I can still fight." The hedgehog squirmed and tried to go free from her grip. And the squirming made him fall to the ground. Amy noticed he had a few scars and was bleeding through his blue fur. There was another arrow that was stuck on the right side of his side.

"Shut up!" Amy yelled, she did not know why she insisted to help, but she dragged him along the clearing and into the forest beyond the battlefield unnoticed.

Amy must have dragged the squirming man for about ten minutes. She slapped him across the face when he would not be quiet. "They will hear us!" Amy whispered loudly. For a moment it did help the hedgehog quiet down.

Amy sat her back against a tree, the coldness of the snow drifted up her black suit. All that could be heard was the sound of dying battle and her breathing heavily. She held her father's sword tightly.

She then felt a steel sting on her neck. She did not move. _I'm dead._ She thought.

"Don't move." It was a whisper from the trees. They were being surrounded by an unknown enemy. They seemed to morph out from the trees with such great silence.

Amy dropped her sword and was taken. Another sword threatened the hedgehog she had rescued. The blue hedgehog dropped his sword and that was taken too. Their enemy pulled black bags and tied them around Amy so she could not see. And to add insult to injury, she was clobbered on the head and she was out.

* * *

Amy only heard a few whispers, her head and her entire body drooped. There was a constant nagging, a hurt on her head. It rang with a pattern of hurt and blood. It felt as if the blood was being taken out of her head. What was happening to her? She felt something on her arms, and armpits maybe. One in each arm it seemed, and she still could not see.

There were more whispers. She felt her feet bumping into something, she was bumping on some steps she thought. She then realized she could be being dragged. Someone or perhaps two people were dragging her. But where? She needed to make an escape. But she did not know where she was. Was she going to be killed?

The dragging stopped and she was placed brusquely on a chair or stool. The two seemed to leave her be. They did not tie her up which gave her some sort of advantage. Her bag was taken from her head rapidly making her gasp. Her hair was in the way and she looked around angrily and in pain. There was a light hanging above her and it was moving back and forth. The room revealed nothing but someone in front of her. She saw steps behind her but everything else was black.

"Who are you?" The person in front of her asked.

Amy felt her arms ache and she rubbed them sorely. She shivered and could see her heavy breaths in the air.

"I asked you a question." The voice was deep and unrelenting. He wasn't yelling but Amy knew she was being interrogated. The figure with the voice was tall she thought, it was a male voice and he was built. She could not take him on she thought. Amy reached for her sword. _Darn it!_ She thought.

"Where did you get that sword?" The voice asked.

Amy had little choice, she thought of cooperating and begging for her life. But she responded angrily, "My father."

"You lie!" The voice accused.

"I would never!" Amy was redder than ever and she folded her arms in defiance.

"You still haven't answered my question." The voice asked.

"A-Amy, Amelia of Knottingham. My father is King Ban." Amy wondered if giving away her true identity was a mistake. But perhaps she could reason with her captors and convince them to give her back for a price.

The voice looked forward a little, Amy could see a long, thin, lock of hair dangled from the voices' head. It was brown. She noticed the voice had a sort of short beak. Perhaps he was a bird species.

Amy trembled from the cold, she grabbed at the stool and shivered. "I promise you that if you get my back to my father he will pay you handsomely."

Many around her laughed at her comment. Amy looked around, scared that one of them might jump at her. Amy thought of proof, she thought of the golden box. How useful it could have been at a time like this.

"She says she's Princess Amelia. Boys?" The voice stood up and walked around her. All of the others chuckled and laughed. "If I had a Libram for every time I heard that, I'd be King Ban himself." More chuckling. The voice crouched in front of her. He was a muscular bird animal. He was dressed in a gray tunic, blue gloves, brown belt, and had yellow eyes. He pulled a small guitar-like instrument from his back and began playing. The large bird animal sat back down on his chair and sang at the top of his lungs. "The girl she claims to be, of royal quantity! She squirms, we laugh, oh poor Amelia daft!" The bird pointed at Amy to finish the verse. But Amy just looked in confusion. But then Amy noticed she had seen this bird before.

And just then the entire surrounding place broke out in song and in laughter as the bird finished the verse. Everyone seemed to know the lyrics. But Amy interrupted and asked, "Aren't you… You're Alan Quail!"

The song halted and the quail stopped the harmony and stared right into Amy's soul. The room she appeared to be in also quieted.

Amy commented again, "You're the Deerwood Bandits!" There was no response for the longest time. But a concerned stare from the quail. He looked at Amy intently. And he readied his small guitar again.

The quail quietly sang and closed his eyes, "She came to us… She said her name was Amy." The quail seemed to get sad for a moment but opened his eyes and with glee he sang, "Then let's take her to the Lying Laaady!" There were cheers of hooras and hoorays. "Gods save the queen!"

Amy was taken again but this time not blindfolded. She was then free falling with the quail who had grabbed her. She wasn't in a room, she was on top of a tree. And the quail landed them safely on another tree, or a treehouse, and some wooden steps leading to a brightly lit larger house made of wood on top of trees. The closer she got to the light the warmer it felt. Amy was in utter confusion and did not know what it all meant. But the merry men sang on the top of their lungs as well as the quail beside her. Songs she had only heard as a child. Some were even still yelling, "Lying Lady!"

When Amy and the Alan Quail reached the warm, humongous, house of wood, they stopped at what was a hall of sorts, filled with tables and food. With all the yelling and pushing Amy could not see where she was or who they had taken her to. But they stopped singing and waited.

"I demand to be taken to your leader!" Amy yelled.

Alan spoke in front of her, "That would be me, but, we answer to the Lying Lady." Soon all the bandits knelt in respect. Alan knelt beside Amy who was the only one standing up. She saw in front of her, a cat, a tall feline woman dressed with similar tunics as everyone else.

The woman yelled at the top of her lungs, "The Lying Lady says, the next person to bow before me… will lose their head!"

Amy stopped, and looked around at the rising men who also stopped, some of them almost could not hold their emotions in. The cat lady began laughing with spit filled joy, the bandits hit their knees, and others rolled on the ground. Amy was out of the loop.

Amy noticed the cat lady in a different light and choked on longing tears, "Mommy." She whispered.

But the cat lady was not just laughing, but crying as well, "I knew this day would come, Amelia."


	10. Chapter 9: The Immortal

**Chapter 9**

 **The Immortal**

"You're sure your fine?" Helen asked Cosmo as she led her in their home, setting all of their bags down, they both sat down to take a nice, long, breather. Rimas had told them that he would be back to check on them.

"Yes, I already told you that." Cosmo snapped.

Helen saw that she was flustered at the question so she dropped it. "Want to listen to T.A?" It then occurred to the human girl that the news would probably be filled with the so called Jeffrey St. Croix.

"No." The plant girl plainly said.

"I think Chris must have left some board games, games I actually understand. Want to play?" Helen tried again enthusiastically.

Cosmo sighed, "No."

"Want to finish your book?" Helen got up and reached for the little blue book which when Cosmo had her sight, she had been writing in it. "You never did finish telling me about that Eleos guy everyone seems to be mad about. I thought I saw him when I first got here, but I saw two of him which is ridiculous." Helen sighed feeling defeated.

"He was helpful, "Cosmo finally responded. "He said he knew my father, and that he was closer to me than I thought." She shrugged feeling pressure on her shoulders.

"I'm sure he was a great… person." As Helen felt gawker Cosmo fell face first on the couch and began to weep. Helen reached for Cosmo and played with her green hair. "You haven't been acting like yourself, I'm here for you Cosmo. You can trust me."

"I miss him!" Cosmo cried.

"Tails?" Helen asked, understanding completely how the green girl felt.

"Yes!" Cosmo wailed.

"Will you tell me what's going on?" Helen inquired.

"I can't! You'll think I'm a bad person!" Cosmo continued to wail.

"You're talking to the queen of spoiled brats! I cried whenever I didn't get what I wanted, till I was like sixteen." Helen giggled at herself which also made Cosmo laugh but she quieted for another moment.

"I love him… and I told him I didn't want to see him." Cosmo sniffed wiping away wetness from her cheek.

"Mm." Helen listened.

"He and I… you're going to hate me. It's… wildly inappropriate." Cosmo sniffed more loudly.

"I won't hate you. I won't even think any different of you." Helen reassured.

"Tails and I had a child together." Cosmo said and Helen's eyes widened. "It's not what you think! We… we didn't do anything. I don't know how it happened. But it did." She covered her face with her hands, wetting them again.

"And?" Helen asked trying to sound unbiased and unalarmed.

"He didn't know, but he… he gave it up to get me back. And I blamed him for it." Cosmo cried again.

Helen lay her head on top of Cosmo and in turn it made the green girl giggle. Helen started, "I don't know-"

Out of nowhere the door of their house was barged into and fell on the carpet with a clatter of broken glass and a bang. It made both Cosmo and Helen scream with fear.

"You!" The voice was of the culprit, and the black hedgehog yelled at Cosmo. "You will be the doom of us all!" With ease, Shadow sprinted towards the shrieking, green girl only to find a human girl shield her.

"You leave her alone!" Helen yelled.

"Out of my way!" Shadow yelled back and with the slightest hit sent the human girl flying across the room and onto the wall. She lay unconscious. The hedgehog noticed the green girl was blindly tripping and heading upstairs. "Don't try and run, I will finish you this time!"

Cosmo slipped and bumped her chin on the middle step of the stairs. "Why are you doing this?" She ran bumping her arms on walls and doors. She felt every door until reaching her room and closing the door. The hedgehog chuckled and slowly walked upstairs, there was the crunching of glass with his steps.

Whimpering, the green girl hid herself in her closet and covered her mouth, exasperated and out of ideas. She listened and feared, the door of her room opened and she heard footsteps. Closer and closer, and then farther and farther until she heard nothing. Cosmo exhaled.

"There you are." A black hand reached for the green girl through the closet door it pulled her through it and sent her crashing on the opposite wall. She stumbled up feeling death stinging her face and every muscle in her body. She ran out the door and fell on the carpet, not knowing where she was or where to go. "Don't even try!" He yelled, picking her up and throwing her through the upstairs window. She fell outside on the hard grass and could not move any more.

The black hedgehog chuckled again and made his way outside leisurely walking still. To his surprise there was a familiar blue hedgehog in his way this time.

"What's the matter Shadow? Have to pick on little girls half your size?" Sonic sounded more mad and redder than his usual self was like. He guarded Cosmo and hoped she was just unconscious.

"Please, I don't have time for you." With one breath Shadow took he ported behind Sonic and kicked the back of his head with great strength leaving the blue hedgehog motionless.

"Hey Shadow! Remember me?!" Shadow turned around to see the yellow fox he had once fought. It angered him that his plans were taking longer that he had anticipated.

But the black hedgehog only laughed loudly and mockingly, "Haven't we done this already kid? What are you going to do?"

"Come and find out." Tails egged him on. And as the hedgehog neared Tails readied himself. Shadow only laughed and laughed until he was ready to strike the fox, only to find that the fox was ready and hit him with one-hundred-thousand volts, a machine he had been building stuck on his hand like a glove. Powerful enough to kill an animal twice over. But it only angered Shadow more, and unable to move and being shocked, he grabbed the machine and squeezed.

Tails did not see this coming and Shadow squeezed harder and harder until breaking the machine. Then Tails yowled a mighty howl of pain and there was a sudden crack. But Shadow squeezed even until he had stopped being shocked. "Stop!" Tails pleaded now on the ground holding his hand. Shadow had broken all of Tails' bones on his hand and spat on him.

"Pathetic excuse." Shadow muttered as he stepped over the fox.

As the hedgehog neared the green girl, she tried getting up, and Cosmo asked weakly, "Why?"

The question only made Shadow smile, "I don't have to explain myself. Especially not to you." The black hedgehog grabbed at the plant girl's' throat and began to squeeze the breath and life out of her. "You won't get me." Shadow saw the girl turn a bluish color and laughed again. But there was a force that pushed him away, he dropped the girl and the force pushed him into the house making a hole where a wall should be. Shadow was temporarily incapacitated and the force was a metal hand that came back to its origin.

Cosmo coughed and passed out, Tails looked up to see a bulky, red, black, and yellow robot next to Eggman and his flying machine. His three other robots yelled, "Get him doctor!"

The evil doctor said, "Oh Shadow! I've got a new toy for you to play with!" The doctor noticed his fallen nemesis, a hurt Tails and a defenseless Cosmo. "Hurting poor Cosmo here, tisk, tisk. And did you know she's blind now? Well that's just not good sportsmanship!" The man motioned for his robots.

Decoe, Bocoe and Bokkun helped Cosmo, Tails, Sonic, and quickly helped Helen get to safety as the doctor spoke again, "Omega!" He faced his new invention and the robot whirred and looked towards his creator. "Do what you do best!"

Omega answered, " _Affirmative._ "

 **End of Part 1**


	11. Chapter 10: The Mad King

**Part 2**

 **The Return**

 **Chapter 10**

 **The Mad King**

There is a truth and there is a lie. The truth is the truth is a lie. The lie is, the truth was planted deep inside of her. That is an outright lie. An egregious example of outrageous deceit. Something more was planted inside, something evil. She will be the doom of an age, the harbinger of death upon animal kind. But she must be kept safe, Amel, I have sent the Inventor to her, you must aid her as well.

 **Section III**

"What say you we do oh king, regarding our echidna friends?" Harold the hare faced the chipmunk. Ten chairs beside and below the king turned to pay close attention to the wise council of the chipmunk inside the Grand Council Chamber of Acorns. "This is the sixth account of terrorism this year alone. I know how this council feels about them but Gods, someone has to say it: could this be the Legion of Darkness pulling the strings? The dingoes have never been so… organized. I realize it has been decades since the public execution of their leader Dimitri, but he could have easily had a son to take his place. Or rather a great-great-great-grandson." The council listened intently and with respect. Harold's ideas never fell on deaf ears, being the respected and loved politician that he was. And his words always flowed with ease.

Bunnie- Harold's sister in law- (or, old manager) now Head of Business, supported the hare, "We took care of Dimitri and his kommisars, but Harold is right. After his death there was no trace of his family, they all seemingly and coincidentally vanished. There are certain factions here at play, and many more that would have all of their heads. For any innocent's sake they should be found first, and any guilty should be put away, questioned, to reveal any other hidden plots they might have been planning."

"I will take what we have!" A zealous, General Amadeus Prower shouted and slammed his fist down on his table. He noted what he had done, looked to his wife and restated, "I will take what we can offer, so as not to leave us defenseless." The fox joked.

"Perhaps an all-out war will not be necessary." Vanilla, Head of Justice and Law noted.

"I concur. "Rosemary Prower, Head of Education, agreed, "There are healthier more silent ways to deal with such matters. And more civilized and ethical manners too."

"Thank you Rosemary, "Hamlin Head of Treasury responded, "as long as that entails less expensive action."

"Either way the Twenty and the Twenty First are yours my king." Bernadette mentioned.

King Maximillian touched his lips with his pointer fingers. He carefully took note of everything his councilors had told him, and began a decisive and just plan. "What the dingoes are doing to our friends the echidnas is atrocious. But for those of you thinking of invading the dingoes, please pluck it from your minds. We will not risk a war, peace has finally been returned to our lands, let us not forget how we each got here." The very mention of their new kingdom reminded each of the councilors of what they each did to build it into the glorious prosperity it now was. "However it still pains me greatly that the people of Echidnopolis have to suffer through this, and without proper arms. Gentlemen and ladies, we will work and tire for the next few months. I ask you now to prepare. We will send the Mitre food and supplies, we will give them battlements and whatever they may need. But what we won't do is fight their war, they must learn to fight for themselves."

The king continued, "As for our lost house of Dimitri… in return we should ask the Mitre to lend us some aid. Bernadette, send a strike force to Echidnopolis, ready them for anything. Old Dimitri might still have something up his dead sleeve. They will search for the lost family. If that is all, this meeting can adjourn."

"Here, here." Agreed the old aching bones of Merlin Prower.

The king shifted his sword Caliburn out of the way as he climbed down the mighty steps that led to his high chair. When he reached the large doors he waited for each of his councilors to step down and leave. He shook each of their hands until he was the only one left. He licked his moustache, straightening it, repositioned his crown and opened the large doors, ready to grab at his daughter. "There's my girl!" He spun her around as he always did. "Sally, has anyone told you how punctual you are?"

"No dad! I don't even know what that means!" She responded, giggling as she was spun.

"It's very true." Maximillian relished each moment he had with his daughter.

"Look dad! I met a new friend! Let me show you! He says his name is Mordred." Sally innocently rushed away but not before her father held her close. "What's the matter?"

Her father stopped and every hair in his body seemed to raise, his fists clenched with anger, he sweat white, hot, with fear. "Where Sally?"

"Just around the corner." Sally pointed to a small crevice made of stone. Maximillian saw what appeared to be an oozing, black, foot. The rest was covered by darkness.

"Why don't you run along now? I'll catch up." Her father winked at her and stood up, motionless he stay where he was until he saw her daughter leave his sight.

The voice of the dark figure was low, not raspy but clear, forward but devious, elusive and black, "Oh Max, did you think you could just leave? Did you honestly believe that I was really gone?"

"Mephiles." The king started, "We thought you died! But I… I killed Dimitri as you ordered. You have nothing more to do with me, or my daughter! You swore to me that that would be it!"

"And yet I spoke to dear Dimitri, not long ago." He lied. "What's the matter Max? The sword I gave you, was it not sharp enough?" Mephiles showed himself before the king, his usual black, oozing, mouthless, hedgehog self. His pupils were bright, neon green. Where the rest of his eye should have had white, it was all but bloody red. He stood a few feet away from the king, smiling inside and enjoying his play toy. "Need I remind you Max, once you make a deal with the demon, "Mephiles quickly turned to black shadow, passed the king, and came up behind him, "there is no leaving it!"

"What will you have me do, master?" King Maximillian hated himself for saying it, but for the sake of many people's lives, he did so anyway. He stood motionless as darkness incarnate oozed words through the back of his head.

"I'll kill her Max. I swear it." Mephiles said simply and egged the king. "And I'll make you watch. You've seen my power, you know what I can do."

"Please!" The king begged, "Don't hurt her, I'll do anything, I swear it!"

"WILL YOU?!" As the black hedgehog yelled it and came to form in front of the king again, life left the hallway, light seized to shine, and the king felt his own soul being licked and tasted.

The king bowed before the might of the evil that was in the dark, "I swear it master!"

When the atmosphere normalized the king looked up to see what wretched mess was on Mephiles. The hedgehog did indeed have a smile, it opened his face, tearing skin, revealing bone, gnashing, sharp, teeth, and blood seeped everywhere. "Good!" The hedgehog exclaimed. It gave the king tremendous horror to behold the evil smile of Mephiles. And then the hedgehog stopped and resumed speaking without a mouth. "I won't have you come back to the Legion. No, no that would be too easy for you. Max my boy, what would you have me command you to do?"

The king responded, frightened, "You gave me this kingdom, I owe you my life. I will do whatever you ask of me. But please, ensure a future to my daughter." Maximillian pleaded again, and the combination of words the king said, gave Darkness an evil idea.

"Your daughter?" Mephiles circled the king playfully. "Oh yes! Sally, of course. Yes, a future! A future indeed. She has grown since last we spoke." He caressed his chin and with one finger forcefully raised the king to his feet. He walked around again stopping in front of the king. He was making a face filled with nervous droplets of sweat. "Oh come now Max! You're a king now! Don't look like a peasant!"

"Yes master." The king tried reconstituting himself and the more the king said it the more pleasure Mephiles felt.

"You know what I like about you Max?" Mephiles asked.

The king shook his head.

"You've sworn to me now to do whatever I ask of you, at least three times now." Mephiles whispered in the ear of the king, "That's a good boy." With that the hedgehog evaporated into nothingness, and the king prepared for further instruction.

The invitation from the king extended beyond the nearby towns of Castle Acorn. And who could not resist? It was a once in a lifetime chance to see and behold the king. And they waited patiently, inside the first castle wall, eating, laughing, praying, and rejoicing.

Locke of house Edmund and three of his guardian brothers met with the king, but not Simon and Floren-Ca. The two were warned not to come. Jules, Charles and Bernadette of House Olgivile. Bernie held her oldest daughter Sonia trying to quiet her down. Rosemary and Amadeus Prower. Rosemary held her only child Miles, who was years younger than Sonia. Vanilla sat next to her husband and sister, Harold and Bunnie. Vanilla also was with child, but deep inside her, ready to burst. And lastly Merlin Prower, who was very proud of his "boy" now king. The king's older son Elias stood patiently with his sister Sally. Everyone waited for the king to enter the great hall, and they wondered why this all was planned on such short notice. But the invitation clearly stated to bring your kids and all your family. And so that made the hall very noisy.

When the king finally barged in, he walked with demeanor as always, but very nervously, and Merlin noticed this, but not right away. "Gentlemen!" Maximillian shook each of the Brotherhood of Guardians' hands warmly. "I'm so glad you could make it, it was a long trip. I hope your stay here at Castle Acorn was a pleasant one."

Locke also returned the smile, "It was your grace. We thank you for the hospitality. Now what's this all about?" The echidna grasped his beard pensively and admiringly.

The king clasped his hands, "Of course! You are all probably wondering why you are here! And no, I'm not declaring war." The king joked which made the hall ease up with laughter. "We are here… to… honor these great men. Without them we would have less guidance and protection from unknown evils." He pointed at the four echidnas. "They're advances in the medical field have saved millions. Billions even, let's not forget about our future." The king stopped and quickly looked at his daughter. Holding all of his tears, and all of the sadness of the world. "For that, we are ever grateful!"

Locke and the brotherhood nodded and accepted the king's gratitude as the king moved around, and shifted his weight nervously.

King Maximillian started again, "We… have a gift to the people of Echidnopolis. A great people!" The king waved to get the hall outside where the people were. "And we present it to you. I know… you will not be disappointed!" The king smiled as best as he could and led his council outside.

The crowd cheered and waved and shouted for their king, and all of the councilors that now sat on a stage, overlooked half the kingdom. And they waited for a speech.

Bors, a new ally from the east to the king climbed the stage. The king paused awkwardly but handed Bors Caliburn, and his crown. The animals and even his councilors thought it a most queer thing to do, but some dismissed it as a lost formality of some sort. Bors took both and waited for his master. Mephiles too was on the stage, but the only person that saw him was the king.

"Don't mess up Max!" Mephiles clapped for the king mockingly. "You'll do fine. He'll do fine." He reassured and echidna next to him who could not see or hear him.

The king noticed Mephiles and nodded, and kept smiling again, waving at the crowd. When he got up to deliver his speech he paused again, looking for his daughter. Luckily he did not find her in the crowd, then he searched for his son.

There were coughs in the audience as the animals quieted for the king.

"I… am enthralled, that each of you could make it today, on this fine morning!" As the king said it the crowd cheered and clapped again. The king could see his breath in the air, it was the work of darkness on that hot morning. "I value all of my loyal subjects greatly, that is why I decided to have this special, memorable day to honor and praise…" The king stopped, and looked around at Mephiles, only to see him wave at him with creepy, crookedness in his head.

Maximillian tried again, "praise… the Dark One!"

Mephiles chuckled and applauded himself, but no one heard. A few of the king's councilors cocked their heads in surprise. Merlin sensed an evil nearby and summoned the only person he thought might be able to help, through his mind and dreams. The crowd was even more in silence now than ever before.

The king spoke again, "We must all praise the Dark One! For he has come, and we should all bow before his greatness!" There was now mutters and even nervous laughter that came from the council. The king bowed weirdly, at the same time Mephiles did so as well and could not help but laugh.

Locke stood up feeling insulted, "What is the meaning of this?"

"You will see you old fool! Sit down!" The king shouted, and it alarmed the council greatly. There were more chuckles in the audience, they thought it was some kind of show.

"I will do no such thing, we are leaving!" Locke had had enough.

"Uh oh, Max, he's getting away." Mephiles pointed out.

With unclear abruptness the king shouted, "Guards!" Now the audience seemed more alarmed, but then shouted and applauded thinking it was all part of the act. The royal guard and some of the Acorn Army had gathered as commanded beforehand to surround the people and block all entrances and exists. They were ordered to not let any leave. "Now we can begin!"

"Oh wait! I've got the perfect thing!" Mephiles shouted as he left the stage and neared Bors. He pushed the hedgehog out of the way and grabbed at Caliburn.

"Here… uh, we have…!" The king motioned for Mephiles. "A sword! A flying sword!" Maximillian shook his arms around as a flying Caliburn entered the stage and danced around the king. The audience laughed and as did Mephiles circling around the king. The council was in shock at how their king was reacting. "Isn't that something?!" The brotherhood stood around, scared, and confused.

When Mephiles had his fun he grabbed the sword, sharp end first and handed the sword to the king. "Alright I've had my fun. Go on Max." Mephiles winked. But when the king would not grab the sword Mephiles cocked his head, "Max? Oh Max, you've got a show to run. What's the matter?" Mephiles asked playfully. "Cold feet? Oh come now."

But the king would still not take Caliburn. This made Mephiles a tad bit impatient and he said, "Max, take the sword." Mephiles stared at the king, "Take it!" Finally and quickly Maximillian grabbed his sword, and every muscle, tendon, and ligament told him not to go on any further. But the king did as he was commanded.

"Council step forward please!" As the king commanded the council nervously stepped forward. "Won't you join us Locke?" He asked the echidnas who at this point angrily turned around.

"I've got 'em." Mephiles said. With a finger he led the echidnas back to the front of the stage.

"What is this black magic?!" Locke asked, unable to move for himself.

"Now, who's first?" The king sadly asked the audience. The only thing in the king's mind and heart was his children and their future.

Locke was pushed down, he knelt and he tried to move his arms and hands. The king felt his grip on Caliburn tighten and with one swing, and one breath swung his sword clean through the echidna's head. And it rolled off the stage and into the audience.

Another breath was taken and the audience panicked, there were screams, cries, and they headed for the exits. But they were not allowed to leave. Some of the guards feared for the safety of others and began to allow some to leave, but Mephiles would not allow it.

Vanilla screamed and feared for her unborn baby. Harold stood up and tried to disarm his king, but before he could do that the king raised his sword and swung it effortlessly through the hare's belly. Caliburn dropped with Harold. Next Merlin fell off the stage in unbelief hitting his head on the hard ground, then Amadeus reached for the king's tunic, grabbed it and threw him over his head, the king hit the stage with a loud crack. Bunnie shielded her sister, Charles grabbed at his sword, the king kicked his sword and Charles also fell to the ground, off the stage.

The king made it up again, pulled a dagger from his boot, and stuck it deep inside Amadeus' calf, making him yowl in pain and stumbling back. The king pulled another dagger and threw it aiming for Vanilla's belly. Luckily her sister reached the dagger in time and was hit in the chest with it, she stumbled on top of her sister, gasping for air. Jules yelled for Bernie to run and take Sonia away, as she tried doing so Rosemary held Miles strongly in her arms and stood her back against the king, wanting to follow Bernie.

The king reached for Bernie with wild, fiery eyes but instead grabbed the hair of the little Sonia. Amadeus grabbed for his sword and was ready to kill his king, but Mephiles stopped him dead in his tracks, he was unable to move. Jules clawed at the king's face with one hand, ripping his skin, and with the other hand pulled his sword out.

The king grabbed Amadeus' sword and aimed it right at the crying Sonia. The king pulled at the girls' hair yelling, "Stay back! Stay back or she dies!" The king was now crying. And his council stood motionless.

"I'll kill you I swear!" Jules yelled back at the king, aiming his sword straight and through. Charles made his way back on the stage and aimed his sword at the king.

"Bravo!" Mephiles applauded once more. "Let's see how you get out of this one." Mephiles admired. "I've got this one." He pointed at Charles.

"Please!... Don't hurt her! Ah!" Bernie cried, tears drenching her face.

"Max! Please, you don't want to do this." Charles whispered behind the king.

"Don't!" Jules cried for his daughter, "Don't!" Tears also formed in his eyes.

"Look at yourself!" Rosemary cried, looking back at the king, "You yourself don't want to do this!"

There was a moment, a standstill and Mephiles checked his wrist impatiently, "I don't have all day."

Mephiles zapped Charles with a wave that pushed him towards a brick wall and hit his head and was out. The king pushed the sword quickly into Jules' side, but Jules as well aimed his sword hitting the king on his cheek, slicing off most of the left side of his face, and the king reacted in such a way that sent the poor girl over his head and onto the ground below. She lay motionless. Jules cried out in more than physical pain and was sent off the stage and hit the ground. While Vanilla lay crouched nearby seeing her sister pass before her eyes, she reached for Harold's reaching hand but was too late her husband died. The king pulled Caliburn off the hare and stuck it in the shocked and still motionless mother fox, she also fell off the stage with Bernie and Miles dropped on the stage and began to wail.

The king grunted in pain, his face was numb, and half of his teeth were showing and bloody. A piece of skin dangled from his face.

"I'm impressed." Mephiles gave one last applause. With a flick of his finger he made Amadeus kneel before the king.

Amadeus spat out blood from the pressure of being tightly held by a strange, dark force. "You were my king, and now, "Amadeus laughed, "Now look at you. Finish it!" Amadeus wished he could turn to see his son Miles one last time, but he could not.

This time the king struggled, but he decapitated his loyal friend and sat abruptly on the stage, regretting his life, his title, his actions, he wished he was dead. Every inch of him wished his creators would come and help him cease to exist, but no such thing happened.

This time Mephiles appeared for the world to see and said, "I could have done it better myself… but, I'll let you finish." He pointed at Vanilla, whose sister had gone by now, she feared what animal she saw. It was not a hedgehog but something more evil. The king walked slowly towards the now pleading and crying Vanilla.

"Please." Vanilla tried to say but could only mouth the words.

Just then a wall crumbled beside Charles and out came a blue hedgehog, "Gee, I really gotta' work on my entrances! Merlin! I got your message! What's the big-"The young Sonic saw what lay before him, but could only stare at his motionless sister in front of him. He turned a blacker shade he never had seen himself do before, and was consumed by rage.

Mephiles met eye to eye with Sonic and watched what he would do next, so he stepped out of the way.

The king left the stage and gripped Caliburn tightly, he then aimed it at Sonic, now ready to strike.

When the king was reprimanded by Sonic, Mephiles leisurely reached for Caliburn and the dropped crown, and waved goodbye to Sonic saying, "I'll be seeing you." And he disappeared.

The shiny, new Omega grabbed the black hedgehog as he flew by him. The metal arms spun around with great velocity and threw Shadow into Tails' home again, creating a new hole where a wall should be.

Shadow tried his trick again and ported behind the robot, kicking him with great force. No damage was dealt to Omega. It surprised Shadow and the robot turned his head and arms around computing an improved stratagem. Before he could do that Shadow picked the near-ton robot and yelled as he threw him over the animals', robots', and Eggman's heads. They parted quickly as Shadow sped between them to hit Omega while he was down.

The robot looked around and noticed it was stuck in the ground. It began to vibrate loudly to get free. Seeing his window of opportunity, the seemingly crazed hedgehog sped to the plant girl again. But before he could get to Cosmo a blue shield of energy spun around her.

Shadow suspected it was the doings of Doctor Eggman. He was smiling and pointing at a remote. Shadow sped to the doctor but found himself being pulled by his leg and flung deep into the ground. Omega saw the hole he made with Shadow and pulled a gun from his arm and shot a bolt of energy into the hole.

When the dirt and sand subsided and calmed Omega scanned the hole with a different frequency of light and heat. He spun his head around again, learning the hedgehog's tactics faster than Eggman or even Shadow could anticipate.

"Chaos Spear!" Shadow yelled and light energy was sent towards the robot. But again no damage was done. "What are you made of?"

"Do you like it?" Eggman asked, "I call it, Meta-Egg armor, practically impervious to your nimble attacks Shadow."

Shadow noticed his chances were small and grabbed at the only ring he had left on his right arm. He took it off and shone with great light, energy seeping from his fingertips. The now golden hedgehog, in a beam of light, ran past the black robot and stopped to look around. He was breathing heavily now and running out of energy.

Omega studied his new malfunction and began transferring reserve power into one arm, while the other arm fell and made a thud and clank. He then quickly studied and scanned his opponent, seeing major weaknesses.

"Bahh!" Eggman yelled in unbelief. "That armor was indestructible!" His three robots jumped behind Eggman, also fearing for their metal lives.

"Shadow?" Rouge asked as she walked up with Knuckles.

"Stay back! Ahh!" Shadow yelled as he sped to Omega. But the robot shot the hedgehog with his highest voltage setting and the black hedgehog stood frozen and defenseless.

Omega now had a few seconds and threw his entire weight on Shadow and with ease he pinned him on the ground. Omega's arm unlatched and swung itself back and forth, steam screamed as the robot punched the hedgehog senseless on the ground.

Four-hundred-ninety-three punches and eight minutes later, Omega had made a deep hole, and finally scanned that Shadow was unconscious. " _Mission completed._ " The robot tied Shadow with all the Mobitanium rope he had and dragged the hedgehog away.

"A job well done Omega." Eggman yawned and marveled at his new invention. "Although, I'd thought it would take more." He eyed the hedgehog as he was pulled away.

"I knew he could do it doctor!" Decoe exclaimed.

"You were hiding behind me the entire time Decoe." Bocoe pointed out.

"Both of you bumbling buffoons make sure he's locked tight!" Eggman ordered.

"Don't forget about me doctor!" Bokkun noted.

"Yes, the idiot too." Eggman dismissed his robots as he examined the damage done by his grandfather's creation.

"See, Bokkun has been demoted to idiot. That makes buffoon higher than him." Decoe said.

"Can-it circuit brains!" Bokkun yelled hitting the yellow robot.

"Here we go again." Bocoe said, annoyed.

"Thank you." Tails grabbed at his crutched and bandaged hand. "You didn't have to." He mentioned to the large, round man now making his way to Helen.

"Oh but I did." Through the smiling façade, Eggman knew Tails needed something from him.

"Hey, wait." Tails noticed Eggman readied a kind of shot to give to both the unconscious Helen and Cosmo laying on a couch.

"They'll be fine." Eggman gave the two shots and a few seconds later both girls gasped for air and were awakened suddenly. "See."

"Someone want to explain to me why and how Shadow is back?" Knuckles asked looking confused and looking back at a shrugging Rouge.

"Hey why couldn't you give me that?" Sonic asked feeling the large bump on the back of his head. He pointed at the shots he gave the girls.

"Because their injuries are only physical," Eggman explained, "yours are still a mystery."

Knuckles poked Sonic, "Hey, I'm still not done with you. What did you do to them?" He asked looking at the shards he got from Cream.

"Nothing." Eggman responded for Sonic. "Their energy was drained. I suspect that is why Sonic is feeling better.

Sonic shrugged and smiled innocently, "I didn't know." His response made the echidna angrier, luckily Rouge was there to calm his steam.

"How do I know you didn't do anything to them?!" Knuckles accused the doctor.

"Don't you know Knuckles? I've changed, I've seen the error of my ways." Eggman joked only Knuckles did not catch up on the sarcasm.

"Uh-uh, no way. I'm not falling for that again!" Knuckles crossed his arms in a small defiant way. "Right guys?"

Everyone else shrugged but Sonic responded, "Sounds good to me."

"The one time I don't side with Eggman… and now you say it's good!?" Knuckles began muttering something.

"I thought I'd lost you again." Tails cried, hugging the green girl.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Doctor Eggman saved you." Tails thought he would never say those words.

Cosmo's eyes widened, "Really?"

"Sure thing." Tails said.

"Well… thank you doctor." Cosmo turned and wondered where he was.

"No need my dear." Eggman slouched back on a reclining chair and cushioned his head with his arms.

Helen asked, "But why did Shadow want to hurt Cosmo?"

"You know him. He knows something we don't." Sonic looked at Eggman.

"Don't look at me, I have no idea." Eggman reassured.

"If Shadow is here, then where are the rest of the emeralds?" Knuckles asked.

It reminded the fox and he said, "I've been meaning to talk to you Eggman."

"Oh?" The man asked.

"In private." Tails motioned to go outside and the tall man followed. Where no one could hear them Tails started, "I need you to help me with Cosmo's sight. I have limited knowledge on that regard. You are a doctor aren't you? A doctor, doctor?"

The man rubbed his chin playfully, "Of many sciences, sure. What's in it for me kid?" Eggman looked down at the fox and smiled widely.

Tails was afraid of that, but he offered them anyway, "Same old doctor huh? I'll… give you the emeralds we have, the rest of them."

Eggman pretended to be intrigued and shook the fox's hand, "Deal." They both walked back into the crumbled house and Tails wondered if there was anything else he could have offered. The man coughed to get the hedgehog's attention, "Sonic… you're end of the deal."

The group looked at Sonic a little confused but the blue hedgehog nodded and confronted the tall man, "You knew this would happen. You knew Shadow would come back."

"It was obvious. I caught up with him mourning for his Molly girlfriend. You should have figured that out too Sonic." Eggman pointed at him, "I thought you were cleverer than that."

Sonic's ego jumped in, "Hey maybe it was because I was out for a month."

"Hasn't stopped you before." Eggman muttered as the hedgehog led him to Castle Acorn.

"Wait!" Helen stopped the large man, "Doctor, where is Chris?"

"I sent him home my dear Helen." Eggman noted that the reason why the Master Emerald was not healed by now had something to do with Helen being there.

"He hasn't come home, in six years." Helen corrected sadly.

"That's not possible, I sent him to another world, to your world, the world that I…" Eggman stopped, "Unless, I actually sent him to another world." Eggman wasn't making sense to anyone else, but he figured it out on his own. "I'll see what I can do."

"Uh, what did I miss?" Rimas asked worriedly as he looked around at the crumbled house.


	12. Chapter 11: Sir Olgivile The Short

**Chapter 11**

 **Sir Olgivile The Short**

Amy had not seen her mother in almost a decade, but the mother cat was just as she remembered. Amy had forgotten her mother's face, but her mother's embrace was still as she remembered. Her mother's long whiskers on Amy's cheeks, the tranquil yet harsh commanding and soothing words, it was a cacophony of loud emotions and surging joyfulness for the hedgehog. For a moment all Amy felt was the strong grip she had enveloped around her mother. She did not have any fears, she did not pay attention to the bandits, she did not even think about her postponed mission.

"I never want to let go." Amy told her mother.

"Neither me as well." The Lying Lady responded to her daughter.

The embrace lasted a minute but to Amy felt like fleeting seconds. She stared through her mother's eyes and the cat looked back, longing, hoping, missing, and guiltily regretting the days she lost without Amy. "Is that…?" Amy looked at the sword she had studied about with Friar Buck, the sword that her mother carried. It was fashioned to be larger at the point than at the base.

"Laevatein." Her mother eyed the sword nervously. "Handed down by Sir Percival herself and to all the daughters of the line." She looked to her daughter sadly, "It was supposed to go to you, but it seems you've acquired another."

Amy reached for her father's sword instinctively, as her mother spoke to the quail, "Alan, if you would be so kind, would you bring my husband's sword?"

"Yes my lady." The quail left immediately and others followed suit leaving mother and daughter alone.

"Please, "The cat lady offered Amy a place to sit, "make yourself at home. I know this must be strange, and seeing me after all these years, you must have many questions for me." The stool the queen sat on made a noise as if it was about to break, as did Amy's. "But, know that you are safe here with us now."

Amy did have many questions for her mother but could only think of a strange one that lingered on her mind, "The hedgehog that came in with me, he is an Acorn…"

Her mother raised a hand gracefully, "Sir Jules is safe here as well, and we are tending to his wounds." The Lying Lady also had many questions for her daughter but decided to remain quiet.

"What happened to the others?" Amy began nervously playing with her fingernails beginning to stare away from the cat lady.

"We don't know. Once we knew you were there we had to get you out alive and well." The cat lady began to feel her daughter drifting away from her again.

"I'm torn." Amy stated looking ever farther from her mother.

"I know-"Her mother started.

"I need to go to Hector. But I can't help feel I could have done more… for Espio." Amy added.

"Oh." The Lying Lady asked, "Who is this Espio? A boyfriend?"

Amy felt her face redden, "Hardly. He's a chameleon, and he's family."

"We leave for Knottingham at first light. I vow to help look for your friend with you." The cat lady offered.

Amy shook her head still looking away.

"You won't come with us. You'll go to your brother's? Why?" The cat lady suspected the work of her husband.

"I promised da- father." Amy corrected feeling red all over again. Alan had come back and handed Amy her sword. "Both Espio and father helped me escape, but he did not come with us, I don't know why." Amy admired the red jewel centered on the steel at the base of Arondight.

"I'll find your father, and your friend. We will take back our kingdom." The cat lady tried to encourage Amy with hopeful words. She grabbed Amy's hand, "I know he is safe."

"How?" Amy asked hoping for the best and yet thinking the worst of her father's condition and health.

"Our informant Mordred told us he is safe. The Irons will not risk killing him." The cat lady reassured.

"Mordy?" Amy asked, remembering the old snake.

The cat lady nodded her head surprised she still remembered and now that the shock of seeing her daughter again dissipated she wondered why on Mobius she was pink. But before she could ask the quail waiting outside began to yell at a very hard-headed blue hedgehog. "I demand at once to be released!" He yelled.

"No one is holding you here." Alan responded.

"Perfect, just the animal I wanted to see." The queen motioned for the hedgehog to enter.

"And who are you?" The hedgehog asked the queen impolitely and noticed Amy his savior, she looked back seeing the hedgehog in a different light.

"You will speak to the queen-"Alan started but the cat interrupted.

"Here: I am only the Lying Lady." The queen rephrased for Alan as he waited back outside again on some steps. Even though the foreigner should have made him more uncomfortable, Alan indifferently sighed and began singing again, playing his small guitar.

The hedgehog found his manners again and addressed the cat differently, "Your grace. If I had known I would not have spoken out of turn." He began to tap his foot nervously and impatiently. He also saw his rescuer Amy in a different light, he spoke towards her. "You're the missing princess." Amy smiled back at the hedgehog as he faced the queen again. "The princess saved my life. I am indebted to her as much as I am to you your grace."

The queen smiled and offered the hedgehog a place to sit. Before the hedgehog sat he introduced himself, bowed, and found a stool next to Amy. "Sir Jules of house Olgivile at your service, my ladies."

"Ah, Olgivile, I had almost forgotten." The queen started, "Your son's heroism resounds throughout the kingdom."

"I've taught him everything he knows." Jules said proudly.

Amy wondered why she had not heard of this hero, son of Jules. She also heard Jules tap his feet again and wondered where she had seen that before.

"Now that we've dispensed the pleasantries…" The queen began.

"Of course." Jules answered sternly.

"The Irons are planning an invasion of the westerners." The cat lady openly said.

"I figured as much… but when?" Jules asked.

"Soon. They have thousands of ships, perhaps tens of thousands. That is where we come in. As soon as we retake Knottingham, and if the Irons haven't killed them and us first, we will send what we can." The queen said with great intensity.

Jules mused if such a number was possible to have. "You have my sword."

The queen made a face, "As a knight and general, I would need your expertise. But as a past, once loyal friend to the crown, I ask you to accompany my daughter to the other end of Shimmering Lake."

Both Amy and Jules reddened and blurted, "What?!"

Amy began, "I can take care of myself mother!"

"I know." The queen couldn't help but chuckle at the stubbornness she gave to her daughter. "But if you are to leave me again, as a favor and wish, do this for me Amelia."

"Your grace I-"Jules interjected himself and thought about the word he gave. "I would be honored."

Amy felt her face steam with rage and crossed her arms in defiance. "Knowing how loud he was, he'll probably get us both caught again."

Jules felt badly about the first impression he made to Amy and thought if he should apologize. "Please excuse my behavior princess. It will not happen again." Jules vowed.

"As for your comrades, "The queen started again, "I will do what I can for them." The queen's promise was all Jules needed as he nodded. "Then it is settled."

As Jules sheathed Olgivile's shortsword and Amy checked again and again after her father's documents in her pack, and even placed Arondight at her side again, the queen softly grabbed her daughter's head and kissed her forehead. Amy had become strangely angry at her mother throughout her short stay.

"I know I was not there when I needed to be. When you needed me. And I give a million humble apologies. That is not much, but it is what I have." The queen said, making Amy sadder than madder.

"It's… okay." Amy said plainly still looking away from her mother, she felt her face redden again.

"No, it isn't." The queen regrettably answered. "I will see you again my child, I swear it on the seven gods."

Amy embraced her mother one last time and left the house of trees with her new hedgehog companion. She looked back to see and hear mother wave, "Gods speed."

"We've got a long way princess, and this lake seems to never end." Jules pointed out as he walked along it in the dark. Amy walked a few feet behind the hedgehog still fuming about him accompanying her.

She mumbled something incomprehensible and said, "Don't call me princess."

"Alright, Amelia then?" Jules chuckled.

Amy felt literal smoke come out from inside her ears, "Its Amy." She wanted to give this hedgehog a piece of her red, raging, fiery, smoking mind.

"I'm sorry if I've offended you, Amy. If you would rather me not speak along our journey-that can be arranged. Although I do not advise it, as I said before this may take some time." Jules played.

Amy mumbled something else and they both quieted. The land eastward seemed to be getting colder and harder to tread with all the snow. It did take them time to step over all the white, cold, and the hours passed which helped the pink hedgehog calm. Soon some light could be seen and she yawned loudly, she couldn't remember the last time she felt a bed, or even slept for that matter.

The pink hedgehog decided it would be best to be kept company. At least this blue hedgehog would respond to her while she traveled, unlike a chameleon she knew. She thought of making peace with the hedgehog, but she didn't want to be the first to talk, or even apologize at all, at the same time.

Jules noticed the hedgehog was deep in thought and wanted to say something, so he began and stopped to turn around and face Amy. She almost bumped into him. "I am the one to blame for getting off on the wrong paw. So I apologize." He extended his hand towards Amy, "I'm Jules, and it is a pleasure to meet you Amy." Amy was relieved he apologized again and took his hand.

"Delighted." Amy smiled, "I'm Amy." The two meeting again anew was refreshing for the pink hedgehog and they both walked alongside each other and talked.

"I would have never guessed Bors would be the one responsible." Jules stroked his furry chin pensively.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. Da-… father, thought it was something else. Someone called the Dark One. Have you heard of him?" Amy asked.

"Yes." Jules thought even more pensively than before. This made Amy intrigued at what Jules might know. "The Legion of Darkness, they worship him. But there is something I don't understand."

"What is that?" Amy asked again.

"The Legion was destroyed by King Maximillian." Jules thought. Amy knew the name but by association knew it better by: the Mad King. "I saw Dimitri fall before his sword."

Amy was grateful she had someone already there with her that could help her solve his father's mystery. "Tell me everything you know."

Jules expressed his words with hand movements, "The Legion has a Grandmaster, and has only had one since it was created: Dimitri. A most twisted echidna, centuries old. We do not know how but some say their "Dark One" gives them long life, if you believe such nonsense. Since their beginning they have always had commanders, powers delegated to them from Dimitri, they are known as Kommisars."

As Jules explained the Legion in more depth, Amy feared this mystery was useless and had little meaning to it. She wondered why her father would send her to Hector for it. She remembered how terrified Ban was when he named him. "What of this Dark One? Is he even real?" She asked.

"I for one do not believe in him. They are old stories, simple ones that you tell your children. Talk of King Arthur's son come back to haunt the people. It sounds like a load of gibberish to me." Jules commented. "But what I've heard is that he is the demon, and the Legionnaires seemed to fear his power."

Everything that Jules told Amy made her more confused. "That's why I've never heard of it, because we refer it as the demon. The Dark One is an eastern name." Amy cleared that much up.

"Exactly." Jules said.

"This is hopeless." Amy stopped and then the blue hedgehog did as well and walked back to her. "Why am I even doing this? I'm chasing a- a myth! It's just a story to scare kids." Amy felt the bags under her eyes and yawned again.

"Why is it so important?" Jules asked hoping he did not offend her with his question.

"My father," Amy started as she reached for her father's documents. She pulled one sheet of long paper out and handed it to Jules. "He said there was something I needed to find out about the Dark One. I just…" Amy trailed off looking at her boots in defeat.

Jules eyeballed the paper intensely and read it over and over. "Amy! Do you know what this is?"

"I hadn't even looked." Amy felt stupid for not checking.

"This is a list!" Jules checked the paper again. "This is a list of Kommisars, Legionnaires, everything! But Dimitri's name is here, just not as Grandmaster. Apparently a great-granddaughter, Lien-Da."

"So… the Legion does exist, and maybe this Dark One too." Amy thought more hopeful again.

"Perhaps. I'll need to read these in more light. Why do we take them to your brother's?" Jules asked, checking the list again.

"Father said Hector may be able to help." Amy said, yawning once more. And that time Jules noticed.

"We should make camp." Jules noted.

"I'm fine." Amy reassured. "I can go on."

As they did Amy slowly and tiredly thought of more conversation to have with her companion. She thought it somehow rude that he knew lots about her probably, but that she knew nothing of him. "Do you have family back west?" She asked.

The question made Jules smile widely and happily, "Yes. My wife Bernie and my son Sonic."

Amy's eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat. The impatient tapping of the Jules' shoe and the famous son finally made sense. "Uh, Sonic? As in the really fast Sonic? Hero of Time Sonic?" Even the thought of him made her breath heavily. And now this new revelation of traveling with his father made it all too surreal.

"Yes. That's the one." Jules smiled and remembered where he had seen Amy before and made a snapping movement with his hand. "You're the girl that follows him around! To think you've been so close this entire time! It was no wonder no one could find you! You look nothing like your father… no offense."

Amy felt sheepish and blushed across her cheeks in the cold.

Jules continued, "Sonic talks a great deal about you. If I didn't know any better…" Jules hinted.

"He does?!" Amy said more loudly than she wanted. "You what?!" Amy stopped herself, she noticed she was clenching tightly at her seashell necklace. "I mean… yeah… I'm the one who followed him around." Amy did not mean to say it so sadly but Jules noted it nonetheless.

Before Amy spoke again there was long silence. "But he… I mean…" Amy started, "When you last saw him, was he, healthy? Eating well? Feeling Okay?" Amy blushed again and she shook her head trying to get the speedy hedgehog out of her mind.

"Yes, yes he was." Jules chuckled.


	13. Chapter 12: Amon's Whispers

**Chapter 12**

 **Amon's Whispers**

The purple cat felt life in her again. Sitting where she was, surrounded by strangers, should have made her feel more out of place and weird. But she felt that she had come back home, a home she had never been to, but perhaps once seen. She could breathe again. And what her new lungs took in felt pure and heavy at the same time. As if she was breathing a fire she herself would sometimes summon.

There was a tall human dressed with robes of white and a long and dorky hat, he was looking at her. And for a moment she could not understand him, but answered again, "My name is Blaze." The cat looked to see an animal, a robed rabbit with long, droopy ears that popped out of her cloak. She noticed a shiny hilt sticking out of the rabbit's waist. There was also another being, she could not determine the species. But he had tattered clothing, a blue face with red splatters and glowing, yellow pupils. She appeared to be on glowing ground. What surrounded the ground was infinite space, and blackness. She saw the city that extended beyond reach of her eyesight. The cat looked herself over, she was glowing intensely and her new eyes were adjusting quickly. "Who are you?"

"Another … that does not remember?" Moirasil pointed out.

Amel straightened his body as he helped the confused cat up, "The Mantle of Creation. The power the High Ones had is leaving. I can feel it dispersing through my fingertips." Amel looked at his glowing hands disappointingly. He looked to the blue animal. "Moirasil, what do you know of this? Of what has transpired here?"

The blue animal shook his head, "I know… not. The High Father… is not here?" The idea of the watchful eyes not watching any longer gave the blue animal undesirable and pleasant thoughts.

Amel shook his head and looked at the cat, "I am Amel, and this is the Inventor." He pointed at the rabbit who was looking away and had put on her cloak around her head again. "And you two have met." He looked towards a creepily staring Fate. The cat acknowledged the two and crossed her arms.

"What is this place?" Blaze asked, admiring the city beyond.

Amel walked the cat towards the city, "You are in the Beacon of Hope. It was designed primarily as a stronghold, keeping the demons at bay and as far away from the Beacon of Reality as possible. But… they got in." Quietly the Inventor began following the two into the city and as did Moirasil.

"I am a Majordomo, "Amel started, "the doorman if you will. I am to make sure the beings coming in, receive a name before they enter and are received into the city. Unfortunately my powers are feigning. And I must apologize to you, I could not give you a name."

The cat understood enough to answer, "It is alright. This place, it… it's so new and yet, it feels as if I have been here before." The cat admired the aesthetic of the buildings of old. They towered greatly into heavens never reached before. But she also beheld the crumbled ruins of the city, and the hopeless, shining, beings that wandered as vagabonds. "What happened here? And… did I die?"

Amel felt for a moment as the Inventor might have felt and thought he was wasting time. He thought he was needed somewhere else, but shook the thought. He needed to serve, that was his charge. He answered, "You have passed from your reality, and you have done a great deed in your life. But I am not familiar with the action, I am not familiar with the rules of this beacon."

"I know it." Blaze pointed out, and as they both stopped the rabbit that followed also stopped and she looked at the cat. "I died for something… something important."

"We all did." Amel corrected, "Some of us did." The human looked to the Inventor and as did the cat.

When the cat could not resist herself anymore she confronted the rabbit, "I know you. I've seen you before on my world."

"Listen sister, "the rabbit began, "I haven't, so why don't you just drop it? And stop drawing attention to yourself."

Cream sped off into a crumbled building, leaving Amel to explain, "I think she likes you." He joked, "Don't mind her."

"A newcomer, welcome." The librarian, a tall, pale being with now mouth and long fingernails extended her hand to the cat, "I believe this is the custom on your world." As the cat took her hand she looked up to her.

"Thank you, I am Blaze." The cat smiled warmly at the tall being and at another who looked like her.

"I am Vivliothikarios, and this is Enotitas, my counterpart." The librarian introduced them both.

"Greetings and a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." Enotitas added. "It must be shocking to witness this, at such a time as this." The nine-foot-tall being raised his arms alarmingly, "Not to put more strain on you! We look out for one another here." His long hair that was tied together in one thick lock-it reached all the way to his legs and it waved to and fro as he spoke using his hands. Unlike him, the librarian's strand of thick hair was cut a few inches away from her head. The two were very much alike and yet very different from each other. Excluding the fact that they were of the same species.

The librarian chuckled at her counterpart. Seeing Enotitas correct himself was humanizing… or in this case, protossizing. Even the fact of him being the great warrior that he was in his day, could be simply overshadowed and forgotten by how tranquil he seemed to appear and introduce himself.

It would be a welcome sight to see a newcomer be overwhelmed by this new knowledge and talk of shocking death around her, but the cat took this knowledge well and quickly adjusted. She spoke softly and calmly, "I can pull my own weight. How can I help?"

If Enotitas could smile he would be doing so warmly, and he answered while reaching over to the cat girl, "You'll fit in just fine."

Amel reached for a white hat on the ground, just the thought of another Majordomo falling wrapped his heart with grief. _Answer me, Anub'Rakish, Xan'thil, if you are alive,_ he thought.

 _They are not… in the void. Although…_ Moirasil could hear his thoughts and answered him. He stood next to the human and spoke again through thoughts, _they are not here._

"How do you know that?" Amel asked the Fate with tattered clothing.

"Apparently… you did not know… Anub'Rakish and Xan in their day." Moirasil spoke, he sat on crumbled wall that did not glow any more.

Just before Amel thought his thoughts would not be safe around Moirasil, the tattered being left without speaking. Amel thought, _if I am to train Cosmo, I must know more about her. I hate to say it but… I must go to the Warden._

 _Who is, the Warden?_ Amel looked up confused at the question. The cat had stopped her work and was staring at Amel. Amel's eyes became massive until being interrupted again by the tall Enotitas. The large being was on the ground yelling something. Amel ran to him to see what the matter was.

"What is it?" The librarian asked, sounding as panicked as she could ever sound.

Enotitas' eyes became red with rage and he whispered and grunted, "The… undying…" For a moment the tall being gave into madness but it quickly subsided. Some beings circled him and could swear they saw his hair shining vigorously. "What… happened?" The tall being asked as he got up to see many beings around him. Enotitas' eye color turned back to shining blue and he grabbed at his long strand of hair.

"What just happened to you?" Amel asked touching the being and making sure he was alright.

"I… I do not know. Vi, take me to the library." Enotitas grabbed at his large head and his counterpart helped him to what was left of the library of Hope.

"The High Ones…" Amel whispered and he left the crowd as he took Blaze by the arm.

"What is it? What is going on? Will he be okay?" The cat asked wondering where the human was taking her.

Amel spoke as they reached a lone part of the beacon where he found the Inventor to be, "Why of all people you? I mean the High Father isn't even here, why… and how would this be possible?" Amel did not make any sense to the cat and the now alarmed rabbit.

"What are you talking about?" The cat asked.

"Quiet down human." The Inventor scolded Amel as she looked around to see if they were alone.

"Who is making the decisions? Who is picking Chosen or otherwise?" Amel himself was confused at his own questions. But he grabbed at the cat alarming her more, "When you passed, who killed you? What happened? Whom were you fighting?"

The Inventor helped the cat free herself from Amel's gasp. They looked at him with strange looks. He reconstituted and apologized, and started again, "Nothing is making sense without their guidance."

"Calm yourself." The Inventor whispered brusquely.

"Whom?" The cat wondered.

"The High Ones." Amel checked to see if his head was hot and sat, feeling gawky that the two he was with were still standing. "Who is making the decisions now?" Amel asked again, "You are Majordomo. How can that be?"

The cat was still confused and looked at the rabbit.

Amel said, "You read my thoughts, and I could hear yours." The human pointed at the cat. "That makes you Majordomo."

"So? What does that entail?" The cat asked.

"Don't you see?" Amel was now sounding like a crazy person, "If the High One's are not here, and you have been made Majordomo, whose authority does it fall under?" That made more sense the gals and they were not as alarmed as before.

"What is your point?" The Inventor asked.

Amel responded, "Enotitas and Vivliothikarios, they are firstborn. Enotitas himself said "Undying". Do you know who the Undying is?"

Both the Inventor and the Blaze shook their heads.

Amel continued, "The Undying is the Old God, the creature that has hunted the High Ones, and us-their children. He is Amon." Amel could only whisper the name, and it brought great fear unto the two who were not as familiar with the name. With the mention of this new name, something lit up in the composure of the Inventor, but she could not figure out what.

"Enotitas might as well be falling into the corruption of the old god, already. Because the Mantle of Creation is not being held and operated, the sacred veil that eludes us from the old god is being torn. He is searching, and He will find us." Amel finished his complex thought.

"What are we to do then?" The cat asked.

"I have to train the new Lifebinder." Amel said resolutely. "But I need to know more about her. Inventor." Amel directed to the rabbit. "I will need your help. If we are to save our people, I must find the Lost One."

The Inventor was reluctant but her mission appeared ever bleaker so she said, "Fine. Where can we find him?"

Amel turned to the blackness of space, "The Warden."


	14. Chapter 13: The Undying Has Awakened

**Chapter 13**

 **The Undying Has Awakened, Everlasting Be His Reign**

Dimitri, the bright skinned echidna walked the busy streets of Echidnopolis without fright. It was after all his city. In his mind he envisioned the entire world his, but he would start small first. Passing the giant library he felt he was receiving new, pure oxygen in his muscles, making every step a meaningful one. The devious mind smiled at every passing echidna- most he recognized, and soon he would claim the hour of reclamation.

His disguise was as perfect as it was incredibly difficult to keep. The persona he took was of an old echidna by the name of Simon. An echidna that was in the Legion but that he had to kill recently in order to infiltrate the High Council of Echidnas with his own flesh, and he had to see it with his own eyes. To replicate the face of another was a trick the Dark One had taught Dimitri, along with many other immoral but advantageous activities.

Dimitri, the scum of Mobius, the very will of the Dark One. If he was given the chance again he would retake Mobius, and he would not make the same mistakes again. But to be given unholy life was received at a price, the price was his very soul. It was eaten away by the Dark One long ago, making this echidna feel nothing but oblivion in his heart and a black hole where his mind should be.

"How is Floren-Ca?" Darwin the aging Mitre asked before patting who he thought Simon was and closing the giant doors behind him.

"Better than ever Darwin." Dimitri smiled evilly behind the face of the deceased echidna. Both of them waited at the middle of the chamber until the floor beneath them took them up slowly but surely thirty feet up.

"I know things have been tough since you lost Lien-Da, but I hear you've adopted. Janice, no, Jane,-"

"Julie-Su." Dimitri corrected. "Floren-Ca and I are getting too old, she is our last." Dimitri hated this simple talk, he cursed the old Mitre in his mind.

"Tell me all about it." The Mitre chuckled and the two echidnas took their places upon the high thrones of the chamber. When Darwin sat he looked beyond his small glasses towards the rest of the elderly council and said, "Praise Enerjak."

The council answered with a mixture of coughing and they praised their god, and Dimitri along with them, cursed Enerjak under his breath. He began to play with his replicated, droopy, wrinkles.

"Federal government growing, good. Education and medicine, great job Loren-Se." Darwin started and pointed at a younger than he echidna. He went down the line of elders in the chamber, "Daniel, enlisting has doubled-good. Cheaper labor. More and more small businesses. A new, safer transporter system under development. Eighty percent of slums replaced with upward mobility offices and extra homes for the homeless. Hmm… is there anything this city can't do? I'd say we're done for the day." As the Mitre joked others laughed and Dimitri caught on after he was playing with his new face.

Darwin pushed his papers aside and leaned his body backwards against his chair, "Majority concerns first please."

"More scares of the Legion of Darkness resurfacing." Daniel, the youngest yet still old echidna spoke.

Dimitri simply stated, "Rumors will be rumors." His Simon voice could have used some work but it did the job well enough.

"I agree." Darwin concluded.

Jarvis, another old echidna spoke out, "The Acorn Council has sent a distress letter, calling us again to aid them in their struggles with the kingdoms surrounding them. They claim to have seen the Golden Hive cross their borders."

Darwin thought, "We may send supplies their way."

But before he could finish his thought Dimitri finished it for him, "But our policy is clear, we do not meddle or interfere with their wars."

"Before I forget, "Darwin began, "our date of independence from the kingdoms comes ever closer. Remind me again Simon, uh… his name alludes me."

Dimitri thought for a moment and then smiled, "Remington."

"Yes!" Darwin exclaimed, "Constable Remington, Head of Security will be patrolling with the parade. Loren-Se I need you to meet with the constable, from now till that happens. Preferably sooner. Ask him to stay the entire parade. We don't want another mishap like last year." Darwin chuckled.

"You know," Daniel started, "Wasn't Remington in the Legion at one point? Just out of curiosity." With this comment Dimitri looked towards the old echidna intently as if his comment had wronged him.

Darwin looked the echidna over, "Yes. And he fed us a considerable amount of information which led to their downfall. He remains loyal to Echidnopolis and to Enerjak."

"I meant no disrespect." Daniel commented.

"We know." Darwin calmed his voice, "The Legion has been a dark stain on this proud people's history. But no longer." The Mitre smiled warmly and continued his talk of running the city.

Dimitri thought of Remington and what plans he might have with Lien-Da. _I must act fast,_ the evil echidna thought.

The stoic under-chamber of Knottingham became even darker and more soulless than was possible. The Dark One had indeed returned.

Lien-Da bowed her entire body into the mass that was forming into the ever unfamiliar hedgehog. She beheld the Dark One to be of a lighter color than she had remembered, a minted color. He formed with all the malignance of the world. He opened his piercing neon eyes and looked to his student. He spoke and he had a mouth this time to speak with, "Lien-Da… Grandmaster is it? How long has it been?"

"Too long my lord." Lien-Da worshipped the evil entity-become-physical. "The color fits you, Dark One." She worried she had overstepped some boundaries, and the hedgehog heard her thoughts.

"There is no need for that." Mephiles referred to her thoughts, "Rise." At his command the girl rose and stood at attention. He admired his new self, "Yes, I must admit, the mint kind of grows on me."

Lien-Da made herself more comfortable, she distributed her weight by spreading her legs wider and smiled greatly and sincerely. The hedgehog studied the echidna as he walked around her. He looked at her with pleasure and wanting in his eyes. She noticed this and gave him a desirable glare. He stopped in front of her, he had finished studying every atom of her and even some memories.

"Lien-Da, you make me… a very satisfied leader. And to look you over is, pleasing." Mephiles smacked his lips lightly. "You are a stunning image of your father Simon."

She scoffed, "Simon." She looked down and apologized, "Forgive me, I spoke out of turn."

The hedgehog quickly dismissed the dejection and said, "No, love. Please let me _indulge._ " Mephiles reached for behind her head, and found no quills. He stroked the back of her head as she spoke again.

"Simon is weak, I have renounced him as my father. I speak to him as if he were yet just another Legionnaire." She shrugged with one arm.

"Hm." Mephiles let her go and walked around her again, "Much has truly changed in my absence. I must need an advisor to answer my questions." He pointed at the echidna. "Although, I could just read your thoughts and get my answers there but… but that would take the fun out of it." He licked his lips at the thought of seeing Lien-Da undressed. He peeked around the lone stairwell that led to the castle.

"Whatever you need from me, I can give you. I am your servant my lord." Lien-Da spoke softly but full of intention. She tried sounding romantic but she had never been in a stable relationship before so this made it difficult.

Mephiles took her compliment and sped-walked to the echidna. When the hedgehog grabbed at the echidna's head to pull her closer to him, he dug his fingernails in her skin. It made her wince but she tried to remain calm and quickly found the attention pleasurable. He spoke, "Yes you are, you will do what I will." He licked her cheek before giving attention to her lips and mouth. After a few moments he stopped and looked at the heavily breathing echidna. He read her thoughts and could see that she wanted him, he saw that she had never been deflowered. He let her go and she controlled her breathing.

"Before I make you into a woman, you have something to ask me." Mephiles played with his puppet.

The kissing and the comment made Lien-Da lose focus for a moment, "I, yes. I offer myself to a lifetime of servitude. I only ask one thing from you."

Normally that pattern of words would enrage Mephiles but he stood his ground calmly, "You do not ask of me anything, I give my eternal blessing when I see fit."

"Yes, my lord." She bowed gracefully. But he raised her chin with his finger.

"I see why not." He gladly said. "You do know the charge?"

She nodded, "My soul." Lien-Da was either as mad as Dimitri or as soulless already.

"Then you must do one… last, thing for me." Mephiles neared her ear and whispered.

"Anything." Lien-Da trembled innocently.

Mephiles smiled and his words trickled in her ear, "Kill the Mitre, retake Echidnopolis."

"Gladly," She responded and directed to the shadows, "Gae-Na, get ready." Her right-hand woman hesitated leaving her sight but did so anyway.

Mephiles took ownership of Lien-Da in the under-chamber as Gae-Na passed a hidden snake she noticed, Mordred was leaning against the brick wall but Gae-Na ignored him and walked along.

Mordred Hood took a straighter path to the dungeon this time, fearing he was already caught. He alarmed the king when his torch reached his cell abruptly.

"My king," the snake whispered loudly, "The Dark One iss here, he hass returned!"

Ban rubbed his eyes and coughed. "Then our greatest fears… are realized." He coughed again.

"I warned the banditss long ago. Hopefully in time." The snake looked around, more spooked than he had been in years.

"Amelia… what about my daughter?" Ban urged.

"Ssafe, her journey hass taken her to Lionel, far away from here." The snake saw the king was pulling at his cloak near his chest.

"Good, I need you to bring her back." Ban coughed more.

"Back?! My king I would advisse against-"the snake was interrupted.

"Do it!" Ban yelled. "She'll be much safer here."

Mordred still did not see the logic behind it, "If I leave now the Legion will have my head, you know as well as I do my place iss with them. You said the swordss must be watched at all-"He was interrupted again.

"I know what I said! No… the swords must be reunited. I was wrong. Trust me Mordred, the great wizard told me so in my dreams." Ban coughed once more.

The snake paused, "Be that as it may, I…" He paused again and remembered his vows, and his love for the princess. "It will be done. For Amelia." The snake asked, "What will be done about Echidnopolis? You know as well as that that's the target."

"If the bandits arrive in time we march there. It would be deadly if they arrived later." Ban let the snake go and Mordred made all the necessary preparations before leaving his home.


	15. Chapter 14: Mother, Father

**Chapter 14**

 **Mother, Father, Where Does The Other String Go?**

"Tails." Painfully and full of guilt, Cosmo reached for her savior. She held her hands up in the air waiting until the fox took them.

"I'm here." Tails sat next to his girl. "Ow." He winced as she took his crutched hand.

"I'm sorry!" She apologized.

"It's okay." He said, both sighing with relief and with simple monotony.

"No, it isn't." Cosmo cried, "I… I could have handled it better." The loss of losing her child still made Cosmo feel as if she were being stabbed in her heart multiple times and a little bit more. "You have to understand, "she started, "this was all new for me… and, I didn't, I, I didn't…"

Tails stopped her noticing she began to weep quietly, "I understand completely. I hope you can forgive me Cosmo." He wiped away a tear. As he held her he said, "Let's not fight again."

"No, I think…" She sniffed, "I think it's good, sometimes. It will help us grow." As she said it, Tails nodded and they sat quietly thinking less and less about the past and moving towards brighter futures. Tails liked that she had said "us", and Cosmo thought of something Helen had mentioned to her. "Do you think…" she started again, "you could have done something different?" Cosmo felt her heart ache again.

Tails thought of the minted stranger, "Honestly, I'm not sure." He bit his lip pensively. "But when I see him again, I swear I'll…" Rage filled his mind and she could tell it made him upset.

"Tails." Cosmo said, "I've never heard you talk that way." She worried that Tails might try to pick a fight with Eleos, or worse. "Whatever you are thinking, stop it."

Tails gave no response which worried the girl more. Both of them sat again in silence, this time thinking less. On the other side of the room, on the kitchen island sat Helen clutching her head in pain.

"I vow to not leave your sight again." Rimas offered.

"Stop it." Helen was grateful of Rimas' help but she grew tired of her incapableness, even with her new legs.

"I did not mean to-"Rimas began.

"It wasn't you. I couldn't do anything when Jeffrey grabbed me and I couldn't do anything to stop Shadow." Helen felt a new level of guilt, seeing Cosmo helpless in her state was enough to send her in a mixture of sadness and pain. But Helen had years of experience dealing with pity, so she maneuvered around the thought.

The man changed the subject, "What about Christopher? Did the Eggman reveal to his whereabouts?" Rimas crossed his legs and heard the crunch of glass under his sandals.

"He said he sent him to another world. He was not much help." Helen stared in front of her as she said it, not looking at Rimas.

Rimas offered, "Why don't I help you find him." The large man sat down next the girl.

Helen looked his way, "That's sweet and all but… how?"

As Rimas explained it, it made filled Helen with great intrigue, "I might be able to locate him. But first, tell me everything about Christopher."

Tails thought it the opportune moment to flirt with Cosmo, he hesitantly pressed his nose between her cheeks.

Cosmo giggled, "What are you doing?"

"You have no nose." The fox tied his hands around the plant girl.

"I don't need one." Cosmo pointed out, "In fact, I used to stare out your noses wondering what they were for. Heh, until I asked Cream what it was." She thought again about what Helen had told her.

"Cosmo, I might be able to get your sight back." Tails said but the girl reacted very little.

"How?"

Tails was not certain how, "I don't know, but, with the help of Doctor Eggman- I think we have a good chance."

"Why would you do that for me?" She asked simply.

He turned to face her again, "Because I love you." It was easy for Tails to say it now, and he was glad he could say it in her face.

Cosmo seemed uncertain, "How is Cream?" She studied her words and thought she might have sounded jealous.

"That I don't know either. I know she is ignoring me, and mad at me." Tails bit his lip again playfully.

"Why would she be mad at you?" That time Cosmo heard her own jealousy.

Tails also heard it that time, "Well… you know."

"Do I?" Cosmo snapped and quickly apologized, "I'm-sorry."

"What's the matter?" Tails asked softly.

Cosmo sighed, "Helen told me about the Tails plushie. She saw it in Cream's room." The plant girl felt extremely guilty.

Tails gave a confused look, "What Tails plushie? You mean, a plush that looks like me?" He thought about why on Mobius a plushie about him existed in the first place.

"Yes." Cosmo considered the fact, "Perhaps… you are better off with her. I just ruin everything."

Tails felt his face blush, "She's just a kid! Cream is like my little sister and she's barely eight… nine. Oh gods I missed her birthday." Tails made a face and smacked his hand on his head.

The comment did not help with Cosmo's newfound jealousy. "We're kids too." Cosmo felt ravaged again by a lonesome desire to disappear. She thought of her child over and over again with new levels of guilt. _The first chance I get to be a mother and this happens. I'm just a disgrace,_ she thought.

"No. Never." Tails began, "We may be kids but my feelings for you will never change. Don't forget that Cosmo." He pulled her closer to steal a kiss but she would not budge. He looked outside at the darkening skies. "Hey, both of you can stay in my beach house while I make repairs here."

"Where will you go?" Cosmo asked quietly.

"I'll find a place." Tails responded.

"But why am I telling you all of this?" Helen asked. All of this new magic stuff and hocus pocus boggled her mind.

Rimas tried to explain in the simplest way he could, "We are all connected by these tiny strings, and if I follow the string that starts from you I might be able to locate him. Knowing all the more about him just makes it that easier for me to do."

"And how exactly will you do that?" She asked.

Rimas positioned himself at the base of the stairs, he found the carpeted spot to be a suitable place to sit and begin, "All I need to do is meditate." He motioned for her to come next to him and continue. When she sat next to him she heard him mumble a phrase she was not familiar with.

She continued, "Well… everyone says he looked the same when they left our world. So he should be about my height, brown hair, uhh, he's kind, he never speaks badly about anyone. He has blue eyes, eyes that I could just drown in…" Helen giggled. "Even though he was always digging through books, he never left my side."

Rimas stopped halfway through the meditation, he saw the string that was attached to Cosmo and Tails. He saw another string that fled from Tails and headed north. He then looked at the string that was attached to Helen- that one led to Chris. But it puzzled him greatly that there was another string, he did not know where it was going. And he knew that this new string was the strongest he had ever seen, it could never be broken.

In the middle of Helen drooling over her boy, Rimas said, "I have found him." Quickly Helen was taken out of her trance.

She asked, "What? You have? Where is he?!" Helen was excited to finally see him.

"He is only a reality away." Rimas pointed out as they both began to rise.

"And what might that be?" Helen asked, the new term also puzzled her.

Rimas began and tried to not sound complex, "It… It's a time and a place away. Eggman was right, he is not in your world, but in another."

"How do we get there?" Helen felt a little hopeless again.

Rimas added, "I am glad he is there in this new world. The Augury would have me go to that exact spot… this is no coincidence. I can take you there Helen, but, you need to say your goodbyes."


	16. Chapter 15: The Girl With White, Thin

**Chapter 15**

 **The Girl With White, Thin, Fur, Or, The Heir Of Knottingham**

 **Section IV**

"Iva!" The little girl cried as her sister was trampled by the crowd of screaming people. She saw another that lay close to her sister Iva, he was a small boy, a chipmunk, dressed in royal clothing. They both lay motionless on the ground.

The little girl was pushed out of the way by a guardsman, luckily the crowd would miss her. "Stay here!" He yelled as he pushed his way through to the king. The little girl worried and began crying for her sister, she needed to go back and save her. But then again, whatever was worrying the crowd might come after her. Should she run?

As more and more people ran out it felt as if the entire kingdom was invited to this. But soon the crowd diminished and all the guards ran to the king, they were now all able to move. The little girl was left alone, but she could not go back- so she ran. She ran as fast as her tiny legs could take her. Many times she tripped and landed on the muddy ground, staining her very white, thin fur.

The temperature turned from brightly warm to a ghastly chill. The wind began to pick up wildly and it hit hard across her face. She fled east to where she at least knew she could be safe. East to Castle Auburndale.

When the girl arrived there it was dark and the cheery people she knew were long gone and in their homes. The castle was huge and it seemed monstrous at night, she snuck inside the castle walls through a hole in the back. It had been raining so she stained her clothes as well as her face. There was a wagon to her left and a house to her right. It was lit up but she thought she could make it to the castle. She sped to her and her sister's hiding hole.

"Ey! Who goes there? Ey, Gordy!" Someone yelled, spooking the little girl as she turned to see a three large animals. One of them grabbed at her.

"Looky here boys! We got us a nice juicy tart! Nice catch Ed" One of the fat men eyed her.

"Let me go!" The little girl kicked the man on the nose making him drop her. But one of the others grabbed her quickly.

"Ooo, she's a feisty one. She'll fetch a nice price, won't she gents?" The other laughed mockingly at her. The two men laughed as the other clutched at his snout. The man that grabbed her threw her on the rusty bars of a cage next to the wagon, knocking her out.

When she woke, the little girl opened her eyes to something dropping in front of her eyes. She touched it and some dropped on her hand. It was her blood and she panicked. Gasping for air she yelled, "Where am I?"

"Shut up you ponce!" A man hit the bars with a stick making her shriek and the man hit the bars a few more times, yelling something inaudible.

The little girl looked around to see two other girls in the cage with her, just as frightened as she was. She saw in the dark the polar opposite of her wondrous castle she had lived in for so long. She noticed a banner, close to passing, of a rose and a sword. Animals of all sorts were out and about, yelling at each other, spitting and eating, and most of all, drinking themselves to death.

When the horse pulling the wagon stopped, she saw where the strange men were taking her. She had only seen one house like this back home, and there it was more presentable than what she saw. Women of all ages and sizes were seen inside, outside, on top, anywhere and everywhere in the common house.

One of the men she remembered was-Gordy, got off the wagon and walked beside the cage, opening it and pulling the three girls out brusquely, one of the girls began to cry and the man hit her to make her stop. The other animal she remembered was Ed, began talking to what appeared to be the owner of the common house. The third animal stayed on the horse, chewing and spitting.

The little girl, with thin, white, fur, tried not to cry. She could not, and would not allow these vile men to see her at her weakest. She memorized each of her captor's faces, and engraved their images in her skull, she would get her revenge, and she would in some small way avenge her sister Iva. But she focused on the third man who sat on the horse, she could not remember his name. Perhaps none of them had said it.

When Ed finished he ordered Gordy to let the girls go. And they were left with the common house owner. A tall, and thin duck with much jewelry on his person. Every time he talked or moved there was the constant ring. He spoke, "Now girls, behave. You are guests here for now, you will in time learn to pull your own weight around here. And remember, good girls don't run, good girls make me money. Or else." The duck pulled a kind of crooked knife from his long sleeve and swung it around as the two other girls nodded in agreement. The little girl with thin, white fur did not nod, but did go inside the common house.

A few weeks in and the little girl with white, thin, fur, began to feel more accepted. But she decided the moment she stepped in the common house- that it would never be home to her. The women around her were nice to her, and at least she did not have to do the jobs they did- whatever that might entail. The little girl knew it was something adults did in the dark but she still did not understand what. Even when the common women around her explained it to her, in great detail.

The two other girls' names were Darcy, and Dorothy. The women around just called them d1 and d2, or Dee and Dee. But the little girl remembered their names, Darcy was the porcupine, and Dorothy was the cat. The two became like sisters. And the two sisters even considered the little girl a sister, but the little girl would not accept the compliment. She had only one sister, and she died in Castle Acorn.

Both Darcy and Dorothy were doing the dishes one night when they noticed the little girl picking up after the men at one of the tables. The little girl hated the men that came in, they were always loud and many times spilled ale and rum on her. That was another thing she hated, ale and rum, the stench of it at times would make her very queasy.

"Pst! Caity!" Darcy whispered loudly across the house.

The little girl with white, thin, fur eyed the porcupine with a look that might have been able to kill. But she responded anyway, "What?!" She whispered loudly.

"Come help us!" Dorothy the cat whispered back.

The little girl was not amused and returned to her work. Dorothy began throwing water at the little girl. Some of it sprinkled on her and she fumed angrily, "Quit it!" She whispered.

Then, both Darcy and Dorothy began throwing water at the little girl. At that the little girl ran towards the two, making the two giggle and run away from the little girl. All three girls stopped abruptly and gasped, fearing they had been caught. A few laughing men and women entered the house. The owner duck welcomed them inside and he called for his women to come down. Just then a row of women dressed in scantily clothes came down from upstairs and presented themselves in front of the men. The men were impressed, except for one, who was eyeing the three little girls.

"What about those three?" The fat coyote asked with an accent.

The tall duck shook his hands in front of the armored coyote, "Ah, no, they are not for sale. But we have more if you please-"

The armored coyote went for the three girls, pushing the tall duck out of his way. The three girls stayed quiet as they had been taught to do and did not move. The coyote reached for the little girl with white, thin, fur, and picked her up from her dress with ease and said while looking at his companions, "I'll take this one… to go!" The rest of the men laughed but not the women or the tall duck.

"Please Sir Knight, she is only a girl!" The tall duck pleaded. But the coyote only punched a tooth out of the tall duck's mouth and he lay clutching his mouth in pain.

The little girl did not squirm, but was lead quietly into Castle Little Beak. There were not many halls and stairs to get to the dining hall. The little girl was left to wait at the end of a long table where many loud, armored knights sat and spat, and laughed, and ate, and drank. Along with the much food that could feed the whole town, the tables were adorned with many lit candlesticks. There were also three other long tables were other men laughed and were merry. The little girl with white, thin, fur looked at the end of the hall, a hedgehog who seemed bored next to a strange sight. It was a pink hedgehog. The little girl did not realize they came in that color. The pink hedgehog was drawing something on the table with a knife.

The coyote spoke loudly and whenever he did he spat out rum, "It was the night we were told to stand guard, outside, remember?!"

"The night it rained?"

"Yeah that night!" The coyote spat on the ground. "I wasn't about to catch no cold!"

"You just barged in like that?"

"Hells I did!" The coyote yelled, "Gutted the old man and spoiled the broad!" As soon as he finished his story he spit ferociously while he laughed, as did his companions all around.

Another in the room began, "Too bad about poor King Max ain't it?"

"Are you kidding me? The animal was mental! I heard the stories!" The coyote yelled, "But anyway, a king like that? Went all the way east, killed the echidna fellow, and didn't bring back no 'ead? Bach! He was chicken says I. I bet he didn't even do it 'imself." He scoffed but raised his flagon anyway, "To the Mad King Max!"

There were resounding, "Aye's!", and "hooras!"

The coyote noticed his lord was not as amused or as drunk as he was so he shouted at him, "Oi Bors! Looky here what I've got!" He pointed and grabbed at the little girl. "Wanna share tonight?" The vile man laughed and spat all across the little girl's face. But she did not wince, and she did not move, she only memorized the face of the coyote.

The hedgehog raised a hand and yawned, "That is quite alright, you have your fun Armand. Besides, don't you return to Knottingham on the morrow?" When her uncle spoke the pink hedgehog looked up and wondered why those men were treating the little girl in that way.

 _I've got you now… Armand,_ the little girl thought.

"Yeah, yeah. This sheriff needs to go home." The coyote took a long chug of his rum as his companions yelled, "D'Coolette! D'Coolette! D'Coolette!" And they each took long chugs as well.

When the coyote was done he burped loudly and directed to the little girl, "But not until I 'ave me some tender bat meat!" He laughed loudly and as the little girl was carried closer to the fat coyote, she grabbed at one of the candlesticks and swung it deep into the coyote's left eye. He squealed and fell on the hard floor and clutched wildly at the candlestick that had dug into his eye. She snatched the coyote's small bag of coins and ran.

The little girl ran out of the hall, down the stairs, out of the castle and waited on the cold tower. As the men got outside, they looked around, and they headed for outside the wall in search of the little girl. When she was clear she hopped on a wagon and leaped the wall of Little Beak and ran east, east through the never-ending forest.

The little girl's trip took her to a dock filled with grandiose, beautiful, enormous, foreign ships. One of which was decorated with large, long, serpents. She climbed on board and snuck deep below.

She woke to someone hitting her with a broom. "What is little girl doing here?" She had been found under a cabinet where they kept food and supplies under the ship. The fish asked again, "Little girl be found, little girl thrown overboard!"

"Please don't tell!" The little girl pleaded. "Please, take this." She handed the fish a small bag filled with coins.

The fish looked inside, "More Librams! Dis rate, Obasi become Dragon of the Sea. Haha! Imagine, Obasi, Yu-Long-Hai. Little girl stay here, secret safe with Obasi." The fish continued sweeping and left the girl in peace.

A few years of pickpocketing made the girl a professional. It was a sport to her now, and she did so and never got caught. The people of Knottingham were easy to steal from, so she moved into the lower towns. But they were no match for her.

One day the girl overheard of Knottingham's new allies, the Irons. The two women talked so loudly about it, the girl was surprised the Acorns couldn't hear it. But what interested her most about their conversation, while she dangled from a tree overhearing it, was that the Irons hired a team of assassins. They were supposed to be the best. So the girl took the challenge, and traveled east, Far East, where the lands were richer, and the men fewer in some parts. In one particular village, there seemed to be no men at all.

The girl found herself where she thought was the house of these so-called assassins. She could best them, she thought. She was interested in learning their ways.

The house was more of a palace and the town surrounding it was desolate. She thought of knocking, but would that not be too obvious? She decided to enter, her own way. She found a sewer system that led to the base of the palace and started there.

When she breached the inside of the palace she smelled of rancid putridness. She hid between a hallway when she had finally for the first time seen an actual animal being. She noticed they were only girls, but dressed with fine cloth and had half of their faces covered in veils.

The girl reached the highest level without being detected, but found only a room, with a large bed and soft pillows. The bed was also decorated with fine veils drooping from the ceiling. The girl with white, thin, fur, looked around but saw no one. She dropped on the soft bed. She hadn't felt a bed in… well ever.

"How did you get in here?" The voice was nowhere, but everywhere at once.

The girl got off the bed and prepared for an attack, she could not see where the voice came from.

"No one gets past my guards. How did you get in here?" The voice morphed from the wall and showed herself to the girl.

The girl realized she had come with an intent of learning and quickly bowed her entire body, she specifically made her forehead touch the cold floor. The girl said, "I've come to learn from you! From the best!"

The veiled animal asked again, "You did not answer my question." The animal approached the bowing girl.

"I… I just walked in. And a few distractions helped too." The girl confessed, and she looked up at the veiled animal, "How did you catch me though? I've never been caught." The girl noticed she was being more forward than was probably the custom around these parts, and bowed again.

"Your smell." The veiled girl asked, "You are remarkable in your tactics but you are sloppy. And yet sloppy wishes to learn from me. Is this true?"

The girl hesitated, "Yes, yes I do wish to learn from you. I'll do anything."

"You speak as if you are a common whore!" The veiled woman shouted, shutting the girl up. "You'll do anything?! You don't just smell of garbage… you're stench is fouler! It reeks of… men! How do you expect me to teach a whore who reeks of men, talks like a man, and dresses like a man!"

The girl was hesitant to say anything more.

The veiled woman spoke again, "Get up! You want something, you take it for yourself! Just like you did when you came here, you did that for yourself! Are you a whore? Or are you not!?"

As the girl got up she said, "I am not a whore. I am Caitlyn-"

Quickly the veiled woman slapped the girl so hard across the face she fell on her knees again. She started, "First lesson, you leave your past behind. You make yourself anew. You are not whore! You are not Caitlyn! You are something more." The woman smiled behind her veil.

The girl smiled back, "Yes… Bride of Rich Nights."

Even though the next years were arduous and painful, the girl felt as if she was being made into something more. Someone other than her past self. And with every session she had, every day, she thought of Gordy, she thought of Ed, she thought of the third man, but most of all she thought of Armand D'Coolette.

Before her final ceremony was complete, Rich Nights visited the girl in her chambers.

"You have made me proud sister." Rich Nights began and the girl bowed.

"I have not completed my training… and yet, you refer to me as sister?" The girl asked excitedly.

Rich Nights held the girl and said, "Of course. Have you thought of a name?"

The girl nodded, "Red for blood, and an eastern name for the man. I intend to wash myself with this man's blood." She paused, "Rouge."

"Good." Rich Nights held her sister again.

Rouge did not finish her ceremony for reasons she even did not understand, but instead went back home-west

Gordy was found hanging from a church tower. Ed has found in his bathtub, with a slit throat. The third man was hard to track, but Rouge found him all the same. And now, luckily for her, the High Sheriff was back in town. Rouge traveled to Little Beak.

"This rum is stale." Armand D'Coolette was on the same spot on the long table as he had been years ago. Some same, and new, companions slept and stared on and around the four tables in drunken stupor.

Bors the tanned hedgehog looked at his friend ghoulishly. He raised his head which was resting on his hand, "Really. This isn't one of your "the ale has spoiled" jokes is it?"

Armand did not look his way, but only finished his drink. "The rum's gone bad, and this place has gone to hells."

"You know our duty. "Bors rested his head on his high table. "We wait for the Dark One to give us orders."

Armand played with his cup, eyeing the bottom of it and realizing again and again that it remained empty, and did not fill itself with rum. "There hasn't been an order in years, I says he's gone, and he's not comin' back."

"Just get some sleep." Bors tried to rest.

"Oh I plan on it." Armand walked and stumbled to his bedchamber. It took him a few seconds to realize when he got there, that there were two scantily dressed women there waiting for him. Armand was too drunk to remember he had not bought any prostitutes that night but said anyway, "Aright, juss', let me start in bed." The fat animal waited for the two to get off his bed, he fell on it and repositioned himself to see the two start to dance for him. He laughed and felt energy return to him. "Who's a good girls?" Once he was elated the two left him and he cried, "Oi, where ya goin'?"

Silently another prostitute came into the room, she veiled her mouth and most of her face. It would have seemed stranger to Armand but his drunken haze convinced him the veil she had on was making him feel exotic. He noticed two large, white ears pop up from her head as she neared him, he could not make out the species though. As the animal got on top of the coyote she began to pleasure him. He grabbed for her waist and the veiled animal got closer to Armand as if to kiss him. He stuck his dripping lips out and waited, to his surprise she was going for his ear and she bit it.

"Ooh, yeah." Armand closed his eyes and drowned in elation.

The bat whispered, "Are you ready to have some tender bat meat?"

"Am I?!" The coyote readied himself.

"I'm not sorry about the eye." The bat touched where his eye should have been. This time the coyote thought twice.

But before Armand could react Rouge pulled the coyote's good eye from its socket with all of her force and will to get revenge. And before the coyote could scream for help she held his throat fervently.

The coyote grabbed at anything he could get ahold of and threw it her way, nothing seemed to work until he reached for her face. He began scratching at her but even with that she did not react, in fact she was ready for any pain coming her way and she welcomed it. The coyote clawed at her chest with his other hand. He tried kicking but could not get the bat off of him.

Rouge only yelled at him, "You bastard!" She spat on the dying man's face. And before Armand asphyxiated, Rouge let the man go, reached for a dagger and slit Armand's throat, drenching her mouth and some of her body in the man's blood.

Bors found Armand dead in his bed with an open throat, but there remained no Rouge.

"There it is!" Jules yelled pointing at three tall towers which was Castle Nimue.

"Finally." Amy gasped with relief but still walked in a regular pace. She did not want to seem agitated when she was reunited with her brother. Trudging the snow up to the gates never felt so sweet, and Amy felt most of her weight loosen from her back. When the two hedgehogs reached the iron gates of the castle, they were simply opened and unattended.

Before Amy entered, Jules stopped her, "You do know them personally… right?" It wasn't odd to think that the enemy had reached this safe haven, and the old hedgehog pulled Olgivile's shortsword from its sheath.

"Yes." Amy stepped forward making sure she didn't trip on the rusted bars. "Well, yes and no. I'm sure Hector will remember me."

"I sure hope you're right. First sign of trouble, we're out of here." Jules reminded her. They saw and passed a small tombstone which read: Robert.

Nearing the first and lowest tower they both heard, "No further! Who goes there?"

Jules lowered his sword as Amy looked around to see where the voice was originating and answered, "Amy of Knottingham, and Jules of the Acorns."

"What business have you?"

"I've come to seek the aid of my brother, Hector." Amy nodded, that sounded about right.

The voice stopped but it seemed to be projecting from a speaker. It crackled, "Hector has no sister." Another long pause, "What is it you truly want?"

"I have proof!" Amy was not about to leave empty handed, she scoffed at the voice under her breath while reaching for her father's documents. "I was sent by my father, this is King Ban's seal!" Amy shivered in the cold while presenting a piece of parchment with half of the seal broken.

A mechanical hand reached for the parchment quickly, it pulled it back and disappeared inside the tower door.

"I can't help shake this bad feeling." Jules commented and felt an oddness in his gut. The two hedgehogs waited for what seemed like an eternity and a half until the door of the tower opened slightly.

The same voice was not projected through a speaker this time, "What does Ban want?"

Amy walked closer to the lone door and held her breath, "Hector? It's me, Amy." She slightly tilted her head to see the door open even the slightest bit more.

"I really don't think we should be here." Jules added once more, feeling as if he were being watched, he shook his eyes to and fro seeing nothing but snow and a lone castle. Amy dismissed him.

"Little Amelia? Could it be? Ban told me you were dead." Now what was revealed was the nose, hand and shoe of the tannest and palest hedgehog Amy had seen. Hector proceeded to open the door, hesitating often. He revealed what was the norm for attire of royal wear in Knottingham, which was black and red, laced with pink. Hector looked as if he had not slept in weeks, and the color of his skin made him seem sickly, and his gangly, skinny, self-did not help his appearance either. "My sister Amelia was… tan… you are pink."

"It's me, I swear it." Amy crossed her heart. "And, that's a long story." Amy bit her lip and hoped for the best while Jules looked around rapidly, he could swear that time someone's gaze was transfixed on him.

The three hedgehogs stood in the cold for a moment. Amy looked around nervously, wondering what her brother might think of her. But finally Hector said, "Please… come in. You must be tired, and famished, yes, famished." The hedgehog opened the small door and the three entered Castle Nimue.

Amy was glad her guest room had an actual bed to sleep on. When she woke from her nap she almost thought it was her room from back home. Seeing the stone walls, her bed laced with pink, pillows filled with soft feathers, a desk, her own bathroom, and a mirror which she was currently staring at. She looked herself over, she was a royal mess. Even with the bath she took before she slept. She noticed bruises on her stomach, scars on her chest. And breathing was still a pain, she remembered Arondight's hilt had done that to her. She hoped her rib was not broken because of it. But hearing even that sound again in her mind was awful, and might have convinced her otherwise.

She noticed the black scabbard which held the sword, it was next to her bed. Should she bring it to dinner? _Hector would probably find that weird,_ she thought, _well, he thinks I'm weird already._ Amy was an impatient hedgehog, but that evening she felt all the weight come back on her back and shoulders. Hector had laid a dress on her bed, it was extremely big, and round at the bottom like a bell. That was too fancy for her, she thought. Maybe if she was back west she would absolutely love it, but here, and now, she looked at the dress in disgust. Her black, tattered, shirt and skirt was enough for her. _But maybe just for tonight,_ she thought.

She would not bring the sword, but she would bring all of her father's documents. She sat by the desk with the mirror and looked herself over again. She had gigantic raccoon eyes, she was ready to sleep again. She faced left and looked at the right side of her face. She traced a small, tan line which led to small tanned spots below her jaw. _I wonder if Sonic would have liked me better without the pink,_ she mused. She unlatched the string that held together the seashell necklace and slammed it on the desk. She did not look at it, but instead climbed in her fashionable dress, took her pack, and speedily walked to the dining hall.

There Hector was waiting for her at the end of a long table. She took a seat next to her brother and eyed what little food there was with rumbling in her stomach. She felt guilty starting before Jules got there.

"Eat, I would be offended if you did not." Hector commanded, and pointed at the food while he smiled at his sister.

Amy grabbed at the food both viciously and gracefully- remembering to keep her elbows off the table, raising a pinkie, and gorging herself with what she could fit in her mouth. Hector looked at her suspiciously.

"How did this happen?" He poked Amy's cheek.

Amy did not look up but paused at the sudden gesture, "Eggman."

"Ah, I have heard of the Eggman. And it does suit you, you are a Rose after all." Hector looked away for a moment.

That did make Amy look up, "That's exactly what father said." She continued eating. "Where is Jules?"

Hector looked back, "Your friend is in the infirmary, it seems some of his wounds have opened. Not to worry, I have sent someone to bring him food."

Amy stopped eating and looked at her brother. "Father is in prison." She waited for a reaction.

Unfortunately the hedgehog seemed unmotivated, "That does not surprise me."

Amy winced, "He sent me here because he thinks you can help me."

Hector scoffed, and Amy paused, looking at the hedgehog. She pulled out everything she had been given from her pack. She started, "Father sent me here because of someone called: The Dark One."

Hector scoffed even louder than before, "You mean the Legion? And did he also tell you he worked for them?"

Amy's eyes widened with disbelief.

Hector continued, seeing she was interested, "Oh yes, long ago. In the days of Dimitri. Fortunately he was pardoned by King Max, and if it wasn't for that, you and I would probably not be here now." Hector pushed the parchments away. "I know what Ban truly wants, his intentions have always been clear to me. And the answer is still no."

Amy gave a confused look, "But… I mean, you won't help? And why do you call him that? He is our father."

"My dear you must be confused." Hector started, "You may be his daughter, and I know he is my father. But I am no son to him."

"Well even if that were true, and I'm sure it isn't to him… will you at least look this over?" Amy pleaded.

"No!" Hector yelled, his eyes were full of hate. "I will not take my father's crown! My place is here with Uncle Lionel, and that is that!" Hector looked at her as if she was a crazy person. He raised his arms in question, "You are dismissed!"

Amy shot back with a face full of anguish and disgust. She pushed her chair in and picked up all of her things. She went back to her room and for the first time in months she could cry again.

A shiny hook and a loud breath from outside the castle stared at the princess in her bedchamber.


	17. Chapter 16: Avenging A Friend

**Chapter 16**

 **Avenging A Friend**

"Panic in Thumbnut! There seems to be an assailant in the middle of town. We see… yes there are a number of people there and it seems as if they are unconscious. We are not sure at this time, but we are being informed that the first respondent team is the Acorn Police Force. We advise that you clear that area of town until the force deems it safe once more."

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Rouge were the last to arrive on the scene. They saw the force nearing the assailant, and wondered if they could do anything to help.

Rouge gasped and Knuckles yelled, "Hey you big dope! Where's my bo-"Rouge covered his mouth before he could say anything else.

"Eleos." Sonic and the gang stood behind a few Policemen who were blocking the way of the crowd. A few feet away, sure enough, was the minted stranger. There lay four motionless animals next to him. He seemed to be looking at nothing in particular until the Sonic team arrived, and then, he looked at Tails. He was holding a struggling woman in his arms.

"Dang-it!" Tails whispered and thought, _wait, now's my chance._ The fox disappeared before the increasing crowd.

A pig in police uniform was nearing the stranger and tried reasoning with him, he did not seem to notice him. A deathly stare came Sonic's way this time and with one easy motion, the minted stranger snapped the woman's neck.

"No!" Sonic yelled. The crowd screamed and left as three, four, and then seven policemen mounted on the stranger, apprehending him and shackling him. With all the death he had witnessed, Sonic still could not believe what had just occurred. And from someone he thought was a friend.

"You bastard." One of the policemen spat on the minted hedgehog, "You're going straight to Chestnut."

Before the force could take him away, port opened and out came a white hedgehog and an orange and brown raccoon. The raccoon yelled atop her lungs before the port closed, "All cannons fire!" At the raccoon's command four cannonballs made it through the port and three hit houses close to the force, one nearly missed one of them. The raccoon jumped on one of the policemen and she held her weight on him, pulling his nose upwards, making him fall to the ground. The raccoon yelled louder and louder, making the white hedgehog face palm. She proceeded to beat the policeman as he covered his face.

"How did I know this would happen?" The new hedgehog asked. He raised a hand and energy surrounded the minted stranger, and he pulled him away from the force. Before they could react, the white hedgehog raised his other hand and energy surrounded them as well, he held them at bay.

Even when the policemen were unable to move, the raccoon still yelled as she hit each of their shins with a stick she had barely picked up, "For Blaze!"

"I'll end this now. What I should have finished years ago." The white hedgehog pulled the minted stranger closer to him. "You cannot hide behind that mask, I know it's you… Mephiles."

Mephiles looked at the white hedgehog fearlessly. Unable to move he responded, "Silver, it's about time you figured out how to travel dimensions. Let me guess, the Sol Emeralds."

"Shut up!" The white hedgehog let go of Mephiles and held the minted stranger's neck.

"It's… agh, a pity, what happened to poor Blaze. And she was right about you… so very naïve." Mephiles laughed what he could while he was being chocked. Knuckles, Rouge and Sonic neared the two. Mephiles continued, "Let me try… one more. You brought the emeralds here didn't you?"

"I'm no fool Mephiles, they are long gone. Far from your reach… not that that matters anyway." The white hedgehog squeezed harder, he felt fire in his eyes.

"Stop!" Sonic yelled at the white hedgehog making him turn around, still holding his enemy.

"Sonic? What are you doing here?" The white hedgehog asked. Knuckles made his way around him and punched the back of his head, letting go of Mephiles. He coughed loudly and the grip was also let go of all the policemen. The raccoon made sure to hit each of the policemen's shins at least twice, and not any number over that, and each one of them was given the same amount, she was very particular with those sorts of things. She looked over to her companion who was on the ground clutching his head, she noticed a familiar blue hedgehog and asked, "Sonic?"

Rouge raised her arms up close to the raccoon, "We don't want to fight." And she really didn't, fearing she might hurt the little girl. She yelled again as she jumped and soared through the air, "I'll save you Silver!" Ahhh!" She landed on Knuckles shoulder and began beating him with hew new best friend the stick. "Get him sticky! Show him whose boss! Ahhh!"

"Hey get off me! Ow!" Knuckles yelled as Rouge tried to get the raccoon off of him.

"Marine! Don't!" Silver got up, feeling a giant bump on his head.

"I don't want to fight you pal." Sonic readied for anything.

"What? I don't want to fight you either." Silver looked around for Mephiles and pointed at him, "It's him! You don't understand how dangerous-"A policeman hit the back of his head.

Another restrained Marine as she screamed," I'll never forget you sticky!"

Chestnut Prison was the foulest, despicable place on the planet. It was famous for its run-down, morbid holding cells. And even more, only the insane were sent there. The max security prison was guarded all day. There was little food, and a lot of disease-carrying pests. The prison was constructed by a monstrous cliff to discourage any sort of escape attempts. It was like something off of a scary program on the TransAudio. But the clichés made popular by those programs could not have been possible without the existence of Chestnut.

Mephiles, Silver and even the little girl Marine were given green jumpsuits. Mephiles and the other two, now believed to be accomplices, were watched by a single guard until their court hour and sentencing. They were each placed in a small holding cell until then, and Mephiles had to be tied to a dolly.

Sonic was given special permission to see them before the trial began and went to the minted stranger first. He asked him, "Eleos… why did you… what's going on?"

The minted stranger eyed the hedgehog with simplicity but did not answer.

Sonic continued, "They're saying you… cut off parts of their bodies… is it true? Please, I'm here to help."

Still no answer. The blue hedgehog looked to the ground defeated and in awe. He walked over to the white hedgehog, but the neon eyes did follow.

"Sonic, you have to understand, whoever you think that is, it's not! He's lying to you! You have to let us out, please!" The white hedgehog worried for Marine greatly, who was at the moment, cleaning her cell playfully. Silver pleaded while holding the rusted bars, he remembered Mephiles' words and concluded this might not be the Sonic he knew.

Sonic looked at the two hoping for the best, "I'll… do what I can but… you kind of attacked us back there." Sonic paused, "Have we met?"

"Yes!" Silver started, "I know you, well… another version of you. Uh… uh… you were always with that human girl uh her name… ugh. Oh! Amy! Amy and I were looking for you and well, she knows you!"

Sonic was convinced, he strangely trusted this new hedgehog, "Yeah, I know Amy."

"Oh great! So I'm not insane!" Silver cried, sounding very insane. "Please… "He whispered, "Get Marine out of here, at the least." He begged.

Sonic nodded and as he passed Marine's cell she yelled for him, "Sonic! It's been a long time!" She reached for him through the cell bars and pulled him closer to her. She clung to the middle of the bars and checked for Sonic's pulse. "Mm good pulse! You haven't been drinking sea water again have you?" She pulled Sonic's nose up and stared down his throat, he tried to get her off of him. But when he realized he couldn't he only chuckled and played along. "Of course not, you're Sonic! You hate water!" She continued, "Where's Tails? And you're friend Shadow! I do miss him lots! And he still owes me a ship!"

"I… uh." Sonic began but Marine interrupted.

"Tell Tails I'll be visiting him soon, when I get out of here of course." She blabbered on, "I didn't know this was where you came from. It's kind of a dump! No offense. I mean this prison, your home is dipper on my charts!"

"I'll be sure to send him the message." Sonic smiled at the raccoon, he felt bad for the little girl. He needed to find a way to get them out, he still strangely trusted both of them. And he needed to figure out why Eleos did what he did.


	18. Chapter 17: Darkness Incarnate

**Chapter 17**

 **Darkness Incarnate**

Mephiles closed his eyes for a moment, he was comfortable in his cell. He was tightly strapped to his dolly and standing upright on a slightly slanted angle, but he still found breathing inside of his cell-relaxing. Oh how much of him had already won, it was obvious on his face, persona, being. Now it was just a matter of killing time. He heard the thoughts of the hedgehog to his left.

Mephiles did not look his way but responded to Silver's thought, "Why don't you do it now?"

The white hedgehog stopped and looked at Mephiles.

The minted stranger continued, "What happened to the boy I met so long ago? You were so full of life and there was no trace of that fire I see in you now. Yes, the fire that is in me as well."

"Quiet!" Silver shouted, he looked down at the floor where he sat and tried to ignore him.

"Don't listen to him Silver." Marine patted the hedgehog through her cell.

"Yes, don't listen, because not listening to me was what got you here in the first place." Mephiles chuckled.

"When I get out of here-!" Silver started.

"But you already thought that didn't you!" Mephiles interrupted. "Face it Silver, no one is coming to help us. Sonic and his friends can do little for us in here."

"What do you know about it?" Silver asked.

Mephiles answered, "The Manor Courts take priority, I would know. I helped make the law." He smiled, still closing his eyes. He was enjoying himself. "If you care for the girl's life, you will listen to me. And you can settle your score another day."

Silver wanted to ask him what but three guards entered their small hall and opened Mephiles' cell. Another, a thin chipmunk came into the cell as well and said, "Good evening, Eleos is it?" He looked to a guard. "I am your host, the warden Winston. And my, my, you are just a treasure." This made the hedgehog open his eyes. The warden was dressed in an expensive suit and always seemed to have a smile on his face.

Warden Winston continued, "What might I call you? Do you prefer Eleos, or is it Mordred?" He waited for a response.

Mephiles simply stared back at the chipmunk.

"Come now did you think we were that ignorant?" The warden was an expert at running the best and most notorious prison in all of the Acorn Kingdom. He had studied three different psych terms and dealt with troublesome animals every day. Or as he liked to call it, "the misbehaving minds". He tried to diagnose Mephiles then and there. "It was just a matter of time before we figured it out, Mister Eleos. I think you'll find your stay here most unenjoyable, so please, don't make it harder for yourself."

There was still no response from the hedgehog.

"Take him away." As the warden commanded, the three guards rolled the dolly away from their hall. "And these two as well." He pointed at Silver and Marine.

Taking the three prisoners to the giant Manor Courtroom was easy enough. First Mephiles was rolled in and set on the right side. Then Silver and Marine. They each were placed to stand next to each other. In the front of the court was an elevated chair where the judge would sit. On the left side, were the affected animals. South- were where people of importance were gathered, such as the queen, a few council members, Sonic, Knuckles, Rouge and others. In the center of the room there was a circular, metal, and small indent. On opposite sides of the indent stood two tables.

Sonic eyed the animal he knew as Eleos curiously. Knuckles considered moving to the affected side multiple times, but each time was stopped by Rouge.

The judge, an old turtle climbed his high chair slowly. When he finally was able to sit he studied all sorts of papers and documents and parchments in front of him. He spoke unhurriedly and with a steady, sedated tone, "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. The animals of Acorn, against Eleos the hedgehog." He pointed at Mephiles. Soon two guards rolled the dolly in the center indent and faced him towards the crowd. "You have been accused of the murder of four innocents, and the possible kidnappings of three others. How do you plead?"

The crowd waited silently, but Mephiles still would not speak. Then came murmurs surrounding the courtroom. Sonic closed his eyes and folded his arms, something was calling to him, and he was being told he was in danger. Knuckles scoffed at the hedgehog in the center, "Serves him right for stealing my book." Rouge embraced the echidna and looked on.

"The accused has been given the right to represent himself in this court." The judge wondered if the hedgehog could even talk. "If the accused will not speak… has there been anyone here, chosen to represent him?" The judge asked and looked around. No one dared speak. "Then the first will present the evidence. Acorn Attorney?"

"Ready your honor, for the people."

"Then we can commence." The turtle sat back on his chair.

"Thank you your honor." A thin skunk, dressed in a suit stood up and placed his case on the table next to the hedgehog. He proceeded to take out a small device from his pocket and placed it in front of the hedgehog. Quickly, images of the four were shown. They lay motionless, and some of the images were of the animals' faces. Chunks of them were taken out. The crowd gasped, many looked away, and a few had to leave the courtroom. Sally was one of the few among them who made herself look, she felt somewhat responsible. The skunk took the device again and the images disappeared. "Eleos was found at the scene of the crime, midday, forty-ninth day of Dropping. Several witnesses report him standing over these good people. A number of fifty animals have also reported seeing the death of the fourth. He was said to have been restraining this woman from behind. I would also like to mark these images as evidence one, your honor."

"Does the defense have any objection to that?" The turtle asked the hedgehog. No answer.

Mephiles smacked his lips, this part bored him. Silver looked at Marine and whispered, "It will be fine. We'll get out of here somehow." The raccoon was not at all worried, but had the most trouble not being able to talk, or clean something.

The skunk said, "We call our first witness your honor."

The turtle nodded and the skunk lead a younger woman to the other side of the circular indent. She was also a skunk, and was very nervous to be so close to the minted stranger, even though he was strapped on very tightly to his dolly.

"Please state your name." The skunk told the woman on the other side.

"Margery." She responded.

"Please spell your name for the record."

"M-a-r-g-e-r-y." She said.

"Where do you work Margery?" The skunk asked.

"A little shop, just where the new fountain is."

"Just for those whom are not familiar with this, please state the town." He said.

"Thumbnut." She said.

"Were you working on the forty-ninth day of Dropping?" He asked.

"I was, yes." She responded.

"Can you name the time of day when this occurred?" The skunk asked.

"Midday, like you said." Margery said.

"Can you describe what you saw?" The Acorn Attorney asked.

"Yes." She started, "I was working, and then, all of a sudden I heard screaming. So I stopped what I was doing, and I left the shop unattended and then I followed where the people seemed to be all going. So then I stopped and saw a mint colored hedgehog and he was standing, no um, crouching over the bodies. And then he stood up and he was holding another woman and then he, he just, he just killed her." The lady was lightheaded and held her head.

"Thank you." The skunk said, "No further questions.

The turtle nodded and asked the hedgehog, "Does the defendant have any questions?" When it was apparent that Mephiles was not going to answer, the turtle said, "The witness is excused."

Margery took a seat and more witnesses were called up, stating more or less the same thing she had said. This time the skunk attorney called, "We call the defendant."

Mephiles was not moved but was asked questions where he was by the attorney, he started, "Please state your name."

No answer.

"Where were you midday, on the forty-ninth day of Dropping?"

No answer.

The skunk looked at the judge nervously. The turtle shrugged and motioned for him to continue.

"Mister Eleos, were you or were you not in Thumbnut on the forty-ninth day?"

No answer.

The skunk looked at the judge, "Your honor, if the defendant does not speak, then this court must move on accordingly with or without him."

The judge stopped the skunk and asked Mephiles, "If the defendant has nothing to say, then he gives up the right to be heard." He paused, "Then the time has passed. Are you ready for your final argument?"

"Yes your honor." The skunk began, "Ladies and gentlemen, affected animals," He stood in front of the hedgehog, "Two things were needed to be proven before we started court. One was: why Mister Eleos was in Thumbnut in the first place. And two: If he was actually there. With evidence one, we prove that Eleos or any other accomplices murdered these animals. And like the witnesses you heard today, we also prove that it was in fact he who was in Thumbnut, midday, on the forty-ninth day of Dropping."

"Oh Sally."

The queen heard it, and everyone else certainly did as well. Mephiles made the attorney stop.

"Where's daddy? Do you still cry when you visit him?" Mephiles egged the queen on. She listened intently.

The judge spoke, "Eleos your time to talk has passed, you have given that right up-"

"I am not done!" Mephiles yelled, a force stopped the turtle from talking. "The next time you see him Sally, why don't you ask him what I had him do. Before Max was king."

The queen found herself standing up, holding her tears she pointed at the minted stranger, "Be silent snake!"

"I will not!" Mephiles yelled back, "I admit, I was responsible for these three disappearances, but I will only speak to three of my choosing, about them."

"Your honor this is highly-"The skunk was interrupted and was forced to be quiet.

Mephiles directed again to his audience, "As for the missing parts of the four, would you like me to demonstrate?"

Everyone in the audience shivered, some yelled back at Mephiles to silence himself. The queen stood her ground, she was not being forced by Mephiles, and yet she could not move.

Mephiles continued, "Biting off the skin is the easy part, but when one gets to the bone, well, that part is hard. The people of Acorn never disappoint in taste." Mephiles smacked his lips loudly, "Like proud swine."

"Enough!" The queen yelled.

Mephiles' figure turned black. His body was dark, his chest a frothy white, his mouth pale. His lips looked like they were sown together. His ears pointed, light mint fashioned in the middle of his spikes, shoulders and eyebrows. And red-like blood surrounded his piercing neon eyes. He laughed, and with his mock came darkness. It surrounded everyone as if it was an actual being. He turned into shadow, going through his straps and turned to face the judge to demonstrate.

Animals screamed and the two guards sped to the hedgehog, calling other guards to come help them.

Mephiles jumped at the judge. As the turtle yelled for help, the minted stranger looked around, with a piece of the judge dangling from his tooth. Part of his nose stuck in his mouth, the other part fell on the courtroom. He shouted," I am Mephiles! Know my name! And your salvation cometh through me!"

The turtle fell backwards and the shadows subsided, and eight guards grabbed at the hedgehog. Six other guards stood by. But Mephiles made no other attempt, and did not try to escape. He was put back in his dolly and this time was given a muzzle.


	19. Chapter 18: The Guardian Of The Dead

**Chapter 18**

 **The Guardian Of The Dead**

"When we get to the Warden, you must understand, he… he will say things. About me, things that…" Amel started but could not finish.

"Hiding something?" The Inventor asked him.

Amel the human, the Inventor, and Blaze the cat found themselves in the darkest part of space. Amel had told them that once, the Warden's realm was a beacon. And a grand beacon at that. They walked speedily, not knowing what lay before them, and still not knowing why there was little time. It was much like walking in a dark cavern. And the deeper they walked, the more life their surrounding was given.

"I guess you aren't the only one." Amel told the rabbit. She looked at the silver ring that was around Amel's wrist.

"One thing I do not understand companions." The cat asked, "Why would the High Ones, as you call them, would they leave in a time when we most need them?"

Amel thought about what the High Father had said, something about answering for their crimes. He doubted himself for a moment, and everything he had done to this point. He answered, "Like the High Father said, the future belongs to us now."

The cavern seemed to be getting smaller, and harder to see through. It also began to design itself. It was creating its surrounding as the three walked through it. There were patterns that resembled a spine, like walking through a massive skeleton, all around them.

"How can we trust you if you are not truthful with us?" The Inventor asked, making Amel stop and face her.

"The Warden and I have a history." Amel sighed, "But that is beside the point. We cannot underestimate him, he is the most intelligent person I've ever met. He is also cunning. You must clear your minds when we get to him."

"That's still not a lot to go on. And I think you're still hiding something. It may be the end of us." The Inventor pried.

The cat shook her head disappointingly, "It is pointless to argue, let us just reach him."

Amel continued walking, as did the two behind him. He spoke, "The Warden was my shokra."

The two looked at each other with confused glares.

Amel explained, "Brother, the brother closest to my birth. I found out later that I was not related. This complicated our relationship. I went my way, he went his." Amel felt the burden of his journey again, and the burden of his failure. He thought of the promise the High Father had made him, many cycles ago.

"That's not all, is it?" The Inventor asked.

The three had arrived to their destination and Amel responded, "No."

The Warden was a shining being, guarding the passage on. Beyond him it was black. The Warden seemed above-human and mechanical at the same time. His mechanical parts surrounded him like armor, throughout his entire body. His eyes glowed red, and when he spoke it was like thunder, "I am the Warden! The Keeper of spirits. For some of you, your journey has come to an end." The Warden swung a golden spear to the ground and stood in the three's way. "Turn back now, while you still can!"

"This is what I was afraid of." Amel commented. The Inventor readied for an attack, as did Blaze. "We are not here to fight Aran."

"Amel!" The Warden did not seem fazed that his old friend was there. He pointed at the Inventor with his spear, "Cream!" He stood his ground still pointing his spear at the Inventor, "Passage to the living is forbidden!" He pointed at Amel, "Amel, your passage to this realm has also been denied!"

The Inventor looked at Amel quizzically, as Amel responded, "Aran, the High Father has deemed me worthy, and he has also given me his keys. I am Majordomo."

The Warden stuck his spear on the ground again and the golden being stroked his chin and made a clicking sound with his mouth, "Majordomo or not, passage to the living is forbidden!"

The Inventor nudged Amel's chest with her finger, "That's it? That's the big mystery? You haven't died? We came all this way to find out that? And we can't enter!"

Amel breathed heavily and looked indifferently at the rabbit. Cream looked at the human, she saw sadness in his eyes. She stopped accusing him and he faced the Warden.

"Aran," Amel said, "You must listen to me, Amon is returning." He approached the golden being, "The Lost One's knowledge will help us win the war."

The Warden laughed loudly and mockingly, "Amel, the Aran you knew long ago, is not the one you see now. I know your true intent, you wish to use him against Amon." He laughed again, thunderous as ever. "Lucas has lost his mind to Amon's whispers, he is beyond salvation and reason."

"The Lifebinder," Amel began.

"Will learn as all Lifebinders do. In their own time!" The Warden yelled, sending the three back a little. "Amel, I see His whispers have made it to your mind as well. The boy I knew was not the corrupt man I see now. If only she could see the madness I see in you now."

Amel tried, "Len gave her-"

"You will not speak her name!" The Warden turned a brighter color, and fire surged from within him and spread towards the three. Luckily Blaze was immune to fire and stood in front of the human and the rabbit, blocking for them. "I will be damned if I let you curse her good name!" The Warden pointed his spear at Amel.

Blaze took hold of what fire she could and pointed it at the Warden. Amel grabbed the cat's hand, "No. We will not fight."

Amel motioned for the two the leave with him, the Inventor hesitantly did so, now feeling fired up for a challenge. As the three walked away the Warden chuckled, "What is the matter Amel? You did not find your real parents did you? Whatever the High Father promised you, it will never come to pass."

"I could have taken him." The Inventor wondered why she agreed to come with Amel. The three sat in defeat a little ways from the Warden. "What's the point? I could be searching for Mephiles as we speak."

"Then why have you not left?" Amel asked feeling inefficacy all around.

The Inventor wondered that as well, and calmed herself. She sat next to the human. "Forgive me. It's that… knowing that I've met you in the future is unbelievable, and also riveting. I need to know what else I told you."

"It is not wise to know one's future. And it is unnatural to travel through time, it is what is breaking reality." Amel studied the ring around his wrist, "The laws of time are changing, and new timelines are being created. I see myself… dying in one of them, all of us in fact."

"I will not allow this fate to overcome my new friends." Blaze said, giving comfort to the human.

As Amel made a clicking noise with his mouth, the Inventor paused and said, "Amon's lies, the Augury, he twists the truth." She pointed out and asked the human, "What was your Precursor's name?"

"Noma." Amel said simply.

The Inventor looked down and smiled, she chuckled, "I've heard Mephiles use his name as Selihpem."

"What's your point?" Amel asked.

"Noma is Amon spelled backwards." The Inventor hated being tricked.


	20. Chapter 19: Dimitri's Revenge

**Chapter 19**

 **Dimitri's Revenge**

Gae-Na readied her shot, she took out a long weapon from a briefcase. She began to take deep breaths to level her shot.

The parade-celebrating the echidna's independence- was bigger than the year before. All echidnas stood shouting, cheering, and clapping while a parade was held, through the city. It was filled with memorable moments in time, the actor's portraying them were also echidnas. There was the Day of Fury, some were dressed as Xorda, and somehow with every coming year, the pink beings with tentacles looked goofier. The Coming of the Emeralds- fourteen echidna children played the part of the emeralds as only one was dressed as the giant Master Emerald. The Forgotten War, The Purge- The Knights of Aurora battled the great sorcerers Mammoth Mogul and Ixis Naugus. But somehow the Reformation of the church in Echidnopolis was left out. Dimitri noticed this- it was because of the Reformation that he was there in the first place.

Dimitri and Darwin stood watch above a balcony from the elevated tower of the Mitre. From there they could see the entire parade from opening to closing.

"Isn't it marvelous? This city is a bright beacon and example for the entire planet." Darwin commented. He and Dimitri both had glasses of wine. Darwin looked at his peaceful city, and admired his long and hard work.

Dimitri set his glass down on the balcony and said, "You did it, the people should be glad to have you as the Mitre."

"Thank you." Darwin responded despondently. "I sometimes wonder, if what we did, during the Reformation, if it was all, justified."

"You did what you had to do." Dimitri changed his face from Simon to his normal self. "There comes a time when we must do difficult tasks."

"But if we hadn't restructured the church, perhaps we did not have to drive out or brothers and sisters." Darwin looked at his glass glumly. Darwin saw more echidnas come to the parade, a lot of them wore cloaks of black, "Bold fashion statement."

"Not all of us believed in Enerjak like you did." Dimitri stood next to the Mitre.

Darwin wondered, "What do you mean?" He looked to see, not Simon, but another, brighter-looking hedgehog. He stepped back, "Who are you?"

"Don't you remember Darwin?" Dimitri asked, finishing his glass and throwing it over the balcony. Darwin saw a scar that traveled all around the bright echidna's neck.

The Mitre asked, still moving backwards, "Dimitri!"

"Correct!" Dimitri got closer to the Mitre.

"You, you were dead. I saw you die!" Darwin stepped over something but still managed to trip.

Dimitri felt his long scar, "Yeah, decapitation does that to an animal. But no longer." Dimitri quickly side-stepped and a bullet flew past him, hitting the wall next to him. He looked at Gae-Na from a few leagues away. The Mitre looked confused as Dimitri made a motion with his finger and slid it across his neck.

From leagues away, Gae-Na cursed for missing her target and gasped when she saw what Dimitri was doing. She realized Dimitri knew she was there, and knew Dimitri knew of her plot to kill him. She tried getting up but found she could not and choked. She dropped her rifle and held her throat, blood spurt out of it violently. She turned over on her back and saw Doctor Finitevus.

He spoke silently, "Change of plan."

In the city below Kanewisher, an echidna Kommisar saw the signal Doctor Finitevus gave from high above. He saw the open opportunity and noticed Constable Remington, he sped to him, alarming many officers and a few onlookers. He grabbed at Remington and stuck a blade in his stomach.

Remington gasped, "B-but, Lien-Da… said…"

Kanewisher laughed at the dying echidna, "What can I say you traitorous bastard? We no longer work for Lien-Da."

Suddenly and all at once, the cloaked echidnas began killing all of Remington's officers. Even the majority of the crowd slipped into black cloaks and helped the Legion.

From up above Dimitri forced the Mitre to look, "See your precious city? Look at it! It's mine now."

Darwin coughed, "You will… never get away with this Dimitri!"

"I already have you old sard!" Dimitri grabbed the Mitre by his neck. "Echidnopolis belongs to me, the world, belongs to the Dark One! Long live Mephiles!" He pushed the Mitre from the building, and he fell unto his death.

Later, as the Legion of Darkness retook their city, Dimitri admired the dead Mitre, his broken head splattered and painted the street. Doctor Finitevus walked towards Dimitri and said, "It is done."

"Show me." Dimitri ordered.

Doctor Finitevus pulled Lien-Da's head from a bag and presented it to the now laughing echidna.

Dimitri's victory was great, "Get me Regina. The Iron Queen will ally with us yet."

 **End of Part 2**


	21. Chapter 20: Origin

**Part 3**

 **The Birth**

 **Chapter 20**

 **Origin**

We call her Mother, the new Lifebinder. Ironic that one so loving would give birth to Hate. Oh how ironic indeed.

My time is at an end. And with my closing, comes new life, a chance for the future to make amends, to see the error of our ways, and to fix what we have done.

I will not live long enough to see the end, but how pleased I am to see her beginning.

Section V

Cosmo turned to see a Metarex, it eyed her mischievously, and she could only stare in horror. What was she to do? Could she run? The small Metarex's eyes began shining violently, up to the point where Cosmo could no longer see. She screamed and was the last thing she remembered before collapsing.

Dark Oak looked at her daughter and thought of her as only a tool, an object, a means to an end. Or so he kept repeating in his head. The metal slab she was laying on seemed cold. She would shiver sometimes. The giant Metarex leader ordered to start the operation. And all sorts of mechanical parts began to fiddle with the green girl. Dark Oak waited patiently, he felt a shadowy presence behind him.

"Mephiles." Dark Oak called to the shadowy hedgehog.

"Lucas." Mephiles approached the Metarex and witnessed the operation. "I see you've begun without me."

Deep inside, the Thorndrigan wept, "I tire. I wish I could tell her."

"You're not going soft on me now are you?" Mephiles asked. Strangely he considered Lucas an actual friend.

"Never. Are you certain you are prepared?" Dark Oak asked.

"I am not certain. But we designed this ability together, let us be confident together." Mephiles responded.

The metal machine that was Dark Oak turned to the shadow, "Do not tell her of me. She must never know that I am her father."

"I swear it, even unto the Old God himself." Mephiles promised. For a moment he lent some of his power to Dark Oak. The machine of a plant focused all of his energies on breaking a small part of himself. He stopped, but Mephiles assured him he could continue. When Dark Oak did continue he tore a part of his soul from his body and showed it to Mephiles.

"It's done." Dark Oak gasped for air.

"So it is." Mephiles eyed the dark energy that had seeped from the metal plant. Both Mephiles and Dark Oak pushed the energy into Cosmo, slowly making it dig deep inside the plant girls' head, until there was no more. Mephiles commented, "Then it is possible, to make a copy of one's soul. If we can make the impossible a possibility, then Forestation can be done."

Dark Oak asked, getting his breath back, "Will you be ready, when we begin Forestation?"

"Ready, and out of the way. You know, "Mephiles started, "If we fail, He'll be coming for us."

"But if we succeed, He has no army." Dark Oak pointed out. "We must succeed, or no one will be safe." He paused and only looked at the remainder of the operation, "How did you do it?"

"Hm?" Mephiles asked, looking at him.

"How did you break free from Amon's grasp?" Dark Oak asked.

Mephiles thought of the answer, "I'm not sure, there may be other forces at play here. Or perhaps it was that I was his last creation, perhaps he has gotten old, and weak. He is not our master any more, Lucas, we are free."

The two readied for their parts to play in the coming cataclysm.

Cosmo ripped a numerous amount of cords from her head and arms. She would have woken up more exasperated if she hadn't realized beforehand where she was. It all came back to her suddenly, but she fell to the ground. She could not feel or move her legs. She gasped loudly, thinking of what that might mean for her. But she could not give up. Her sight was blurry, but could see a few feet from her, so she could start with that.

She saw a door to her right, so she began crawling, while holding and trying to wake up her legs with her other arm. The door slid open and she looked both ways. She took the right path. There were lights that began to dimmer above her. The ship began to rumble. She saw that this was not her ship, maybe she was being held captive, and someone had come to rescue her.

Cosmo felt needles begin to poke her legs, they hurt intensely but then again, oddly, felt rather comfortable. She slithered left to another door which slid open upon her contact. The room was dark, perhaps she had ended up in a closet. But the more she traveled, the more she felt she was in an even bigger room. She found herself in a corner, and tucked away in it, trying not to make too much noise. The only thing she could hear was her loud, gasping, breathing, and then the sound of clattering footsteps from outside. Had they found her? No, they were just running by.

She couldn't stay there for long, someone would find her eventually. She had to find a way off the ship.

"Who's there? Please don't hurt me!"

"Ah!" Cosmo gasped, she held her mouth with her hands. Cosmo stopped, listened and waited. "H-hello?"

"You're not one of them, are you?"

"N-no, m-my name is Cosmo. Do you need help?" Cosmo looked around, her eyes had still not adjusted to the darkness.

"Where are you?"

"I- I'm here." Cosmo motioned with her arms until something grabbed at them making her gasp again.

"It's okay, I'm not one of them either."

"Who are you? Where are we?" Cosmo asked the voice. She hoped she wasn't making a mistake by talking to the voice, but it certainly didn't feel like a Metarex.

"We're onboard the Metarex's Scarship."

The name echoed through Cosmo's mind, and she remembered the huge battleship raging missiles on her mother and sister's ship. "How do we get out?" Cosmo asked the stranger.

"I think I know a way, but I wasn't sure I could make it on my own."

"Then… we should try." Cosmo asked, scared of dying. She wondered if her sisters had made it.

"Okay." The voice led her out the door again, luckily she could move her legs, although they felt a bit prickly still. She looked at her new companion, he was a species she had never seen before. He could not be a plant like her. Granted, she had never seen a Seedrian boy before. He had quills on the back of his head, and his color was a bright mint. They sped through hallways and down corridors until they came to an elevator of sorts. It was small so they both crammed in together. He seemed to know exactly where he was going, and she was grateful for it. When they reached the bottom Cosmo saw a large bay with a huge window that led to outer space. "There!" He said.

They ran to a single ship, upon inspection, they realized it could only hold one pilot. Cosmo looked around for another ship but could not find any. They both heard a siren go off. The minted stranger said, "Quickly, in the ship."

As Cosmo got in, the stranger got on and pushed a few buttons inside. She asked, "What about you?"

"I'll be fine. You must get to that planet, no matter what happens. Find Sonic, the blue hedgehog. You'll be able to recognize him easily, he's very fast." The minted stranger said.

"Why? Who is he?" Cosmo exclaimed.

"He can control the emeralds. Bring the emeralds back and you can defeat the Metarex." The minted stranger said as he pushed the last button to close the ship's window.

"Who are you?" Cosmo asked.

"Eleos." The hedgehog responded as he signaled for her to leave. She did so and looked back. He was running back where they came from.

"Cosmo we have to go now." Tails said, alerting Cosmo, Rimas and Helen as he entered his beach house.

"What? Tails?" Cosmo asked, looking around.

"Yes it's me. But we have to hurry to Eggman." Tails explained.

"I would also like to say goodbye to the doctor. At least he tried to help Chris." Helen pointed out and Rimas agreed.

Along the way Cosmo asked, "Tails, what is with the hurry?" She clung strong to the fox, like she had never done before.

Tails answered, "I needed to make a trade. And this needed to happen soon. Eggman and I will figure it out."

"You mean figure me out?" Cosmo asked, she hoped with everything she had left that she wasn't being a bother to her Tails.

"Yes, we'll fix you my love." Tails heart thumped a million beats louder than he had anticipated. And Cosmo heard his rhythm on his chest. She looked up to where she thought he might be and he looked down as well. They quickly and lightly kissed. It was different than Tails' first time with Rouge, it was much more meaningful. As for Cosmo, Tails was her first, and she loved him all the more for it.

Eggman's new base was conveniently docked near the beach-village Drabdun, and he waited for the four with a long smile, "Greetings, allow me to welcome you inside the Egg-Maelstrom, and I have all the rights to that name." He waited for the four to enter and closed the door behind him. "And thank you Tails for your bounteous donation, which made this tour possible."

"We aren't here to take a tour Eggman." Tails reminded him.

"Just play along, we planned this out all night!" Bokkun yelled, he spooked them from above.

As the round doctor proceeded to explain all the wonderful intricacies that went into building each compartment of the ship, Bocoe and Decoe followed from behind. They heard screaming halfway during the tour, and passed a threshold with no door where the yelling got louder. It sounded as if someone was being electrocuted, first a loud buzz, then the screams were heard.

Eggman kept the tour going, "Pay no mind to the screaming hedgehog." Once the tour was finished the doctor took both Cosmo and Tails, and asked Rimas and Helen to stay outside. Cosmo was put on a padded, metal slab.

"I'll be here with you Cosmo." Tails told her and she nodded. Once Eggman noticed she was ready he fed her an IV, which stuck to her automatically. A few seconds later and she was down. Eggman pointed at the wall to Tails. Soon the room was decontaminated by a noisy vapor, and Tails grabbed gloves, a mask, and a white scrub. Eggman did the same.

"I know we are here to say goodbye to the doctor, but I just needed to ask, have you given any thought to my offer?" Rimas asked her as they both sat in a waiting room with the three robots.

Helen sighed, "Yes, but I can't ever come back?"

Rimas thought about it, "Well, traveling would take an immense amount of energy. But I don't see why we wouldn't come back. My job is only to find that world, and bring the message of the Augury. I can always take you back. But you have to remember, it will take a very long time to regain my strength and take you back." Rimas reassured her.

"Thank you Rimas. It means the world to me that you would help Chris, even though you don't know him." Helen thanked.

"It is my pleasure to serve you milady." Rimas smiled. "I will take you to him Helen."

"Can it wait till after the operation?" Helen wondered.

"Anything you want." Rimas said.

After Eggman had made the incision, Cosmo's head opened, revealing a green brain. It was smaller than the average brain, and with a simple scan, was shown that the other part of the brain was located somewhere above her chest. Eggman cut through six layers of soft tissue surrounding the brain, making Tails wince every cut.

Eggman spoke, "This next part might be tricky, Tails, I need you to go to that wall, type in the code: 33379-55521-77782. Grab what's inside."

Tails obeyed and typed in the code. As Eggman pushed a machine above Cosmo, and pressed a red button on it. A little red light shown on Cosmo's green brain.

"Here." Tails handed the doctor a strange looking mace, but Eggman motioned for him to hold it. The mace began to glow a purple color, and it pulsated.

Eggman held a pincer and a pencil looking device in place inside the brain, making a hole to where the red light fit inside. But he paused, "Tails, you know this part of her brain controls sight and sound."

Tails nodded.

"If this doesn't work, she may lose her hearing as well." Eggman explained while looking at the fox.

"I know." Tails nodded again.

Eggman took a deep breath and continued holding the pincer and the pencil device in place, while the machine whirred. It pulled out a spinning needle that slowly made its way into Cosmo's head. Eggman voice controlled the machine and he told it to stop. The machine also gave a picture of the inside of her head. It was an orange texture that almost made Tails gag. The machine whirred again and an even smaller needle came out and made its way into the lower parts of her brain.

Tails looked at the mace more closely, "What is this? And where did you get it?"

"I didn't steal it if that's what you think. You'll see what it does." Eggman kept the machine running until he said, "Stop." A scan showed the microscopic energy he had been looking for. "Hold it closer." He motioned for the fox.

As Tails held the mace closer it pulsated brighter and faster. Finally the microscopic needle had poked at the energy, making it react and fight back. It grabbed at the needle making its way up and out of Cosmo's head. Soon the mace sucked the energy right from inside of the brain.

"Hold it steady." Eggman said. And then, there was no more energy seeping from her head. Tails could breathe normally again. The mace glowed with dark energy and Eggman took it, and put it back in its safe. He closed Cosmo's head, injected the IV with two different liquids and took off his scrub, gloves, and mask. As did the fox.

Tails asked, "How did you know that would work?"

"I read your work on the Typhoon. Your conclusions were less than accurate. I postulated that whatever was inside Cosmo was much more than mechanical as you stated. No it had to be physical. That would have worked on our minds, but not Cosmo's, you see her physiology is quite the opposite of ours, and we still don't know how her mind works." Eggman stated. The fox was impressed, the large man actually thought like Tails did. "But I guess you figured that out by now." The man stood up.

Before Eggman excused himself from the room, Tails stopped him, "Thank you doctor, honestly, you did all the work."

Eggman almost referred to the fox as a colleague, "Tails, I think it's only fair to warn you, something is coming." The doctor did not look back, "I am prepared for it. Let us hope you are too."

Tails did not know what that meant, but he was glad of it. He waited for Cosmo to wake up. He waited for her above her, caressing her, holding her.

When she opened her eyes, it was blinding for her, but she saw the shape of a yellow fox, and began to cry, as did the boy. "Oh Tails." They both embraced each other for a while. As Cosmo walked out on her own to the waiting room, Helen hugged her little green friend. Decoe and Bocoe both shot out confetti that they had been saving for a special occasion. Even Bokkun had robotic tears to share.

"You're nothing like I imagined, neither are you Rimas." Cosmo cried.

Where Helen knelt in front of Cosmo she said, wiping away tears, "I have good news, and bad. We might have a chance to rescue Chris."

"And?" Cosmo readied.

"We might not… see you again, for a long time." Helen explained.

As the doctor walked in, he eyed Rimas suspiciously, and a nervous sweat bead dropped from Rimas' bald head. Cosmo said, "Do what you have to for Chris. And tell him I said hi."

Both Tails and Cosmo left happily as the three robots showed them outside. But before Helen left the large man stopped her. Rimas continued on, not noticing that Helen had stopped. Eggman whispered something in her ear, she looked at the large man full of question and doubt but thanked him anyway, and left.


	22. Chapter 21: The Message

**Chapter 21**

 **The Message**

Amy had found her father's notes to be more than helpful. He had written much incriminating evidence for the existence of this Dark One. Amy read on, _not only does he have the power to bring people back from the dead, many have reported to have seen him change appearance almost instantaneously, and even multiply. Yes, Mephiles has the ability to replicate an exact copy of himself. Once it was believed that he was everywhere at once in the days of King Arthur. Mephiles has been around since the beginning of time itself, before the Day of Fury, before the mobosaurs._

 _And that's another thing, King Arthur did have many illegitimate children, but we have the birth parchments of Gawain and his brothers, but there is no such evidence of this Mordred child ever being born. I think Mordred was just a way for Mephiles to get inside the kingdom. I believe Mephiles killed the king._

 _Now, what the Legion has portrayed to the world is quite the opposite of what it represents in actuality. We see and are taught that the Legion was created in the time of Dimitri by Dimitri for the purpose of retaking Echidnopolis. The Idea of reclamation has resounded in the ears of the many, for many decades. But this is wrong! The Reformation of the church did happen, and yes, the church killed and drove Dimitri and many other scientists from their home, that part is true. But are we really seeing the big picture here?_

 _In the book, "Capitulation Through Anarchy", written by the late Doctor Finitevus, he claims that: "If a people were so united into one idealistic integral and philosophical truth, the truth being, that a government should not run its people, but that the_ _people_ _run their government, then there should be no government at all." There! That is it! Doctor Finitevus has stated the obvious "solution" to the people's problem. He instigated from a very early time in his life, that the idea of a government should be abolished, instead, let the people have a free, unified, rule, but not just any rule! A monotheism. A rule from on high, let God tell us what to do, not the people._

 _And so, it became the truth, in the minds of millions, echidnas, and even others alike. Enerjak became the God that Mobius needed. For decades Echidnopolis became the city of angels, the_ _pure_ _race. "Pure", another term Doctor Finitevus uses to endear the people. His rhetoric may yet cause the doom of many of us._

 _I, King Ban of Knottingham, second of my name, have witnessed the rebirth of Dimitri himself, but have seen the late Doctor Finitevus. Have had talks with him, dined with him. It seems old Finitevus has not died. Yes, I was a Kommisar for the Legion of Darkness for many decades. It was my life's work to do as I was told, by Mephiles, the Dark One. I write to inform the reader, that Echidnopolis has been the work of Mephiles himself. Knottingham, The Acorn Kingdom, maybe all of it._

 _But the biggest mystery still lingers: how do we stop him? How do we kill Mephiles?_

Amy took it all in for a moment and thought, _Daddy? Working for the enemy?_ She continued, _Doctor Finitevus was charged with destroying Albion. He did so, without question. I finally figured out what Mephiles was trying to hide. It was the drawings on the walls you see. Mephiles knew of a power that the Albanians had either invented or discovered. It tied somehow with the sorcerer Mammoth Mogul, but what? What indeed._

 _I found it, deep in Albion. The Scepter of Darkness. I have hiddEn it. And only you can find it aGain, please, use it, Gain faith. may this reach the right hANds._

That last paragraph confused Amy, it looked as if it was written in a hurry, and it had many mistakes. She had never heard the phrase, "Gain faith" before. Amy swung herself back on her chair and felt her head sting with stress. She decided it was time to visit her traveling companion. She pushed her chair in the desk and closed the wooden door behind her, lightly.

Castle Nimue was much like Castle Knottingham, only it was smaller. And every window she passed was lit by a single candle. She crossed down to the second tower and opened the door she thought was the infirmary. She saw tables, neatly organized beds with white sheets on top of them, all manner of trinkets, medicine, cabinets, chairs, stools, but no Jules. Amy thought to herself as she headed back, _Do Hector and Lionel live by themselves? Or…_

 _"_ Where is he?" Amy demanded with a calm voice as she approached her brother in his quarters. He was looking over some papers.

"I don't remember summoning you dear, baby sister." Hector said in a most displeasing tone.

"Where is Jules?" Amy stood her ground, she was not about to be bullied, not even by her own brother.

"Oh the Acorn, he is safe. For now." Hector began reading again.

"What?!" Amy yelled. "I demand to know where he is!"

"But don't you see, we have an Acorn general. We can, oh I don't know, trade him for something." Hector pointed out, he got up and sat on his desk.

Amy's eyes raged with fire, "I thought you didn't want to take part in father's wars."

The tanned hedgehog struck Amy across her cheek, making her fall to the ground and wince. "While you are under my roof, you will respect me and my judgment!"

Amy stood up slowly, standing against Hector, and left quietly.

The pink hedgehog yelled as she slammed her room door, "I have to go back!" She cried, "I can't stay here." Amy felt as if she might collapse under such weight. She stumbled to her knees, feeling the oxygen leaving her head. _Maybe… a bath will help… then we leave._

"Amy, I have Jules, he is safe. Meet us outside the castle."

Amy mumbled, she had fallen asleep in the bathtub.

"Who are you?" She asked in her dream. She heard skittering, could there be bugs in the room she was in? She immediately felt grossed out.

Opening her eyes slowly, she saw a shadow above her. Something was glowing, no, shining above her. She gasped. Quickly the shadow pushed her down the bathtub. She gasped for breath, losing it instead.

Euphoria filled her brain, she was hyperventilating and was exasperated. The panic of the occasion gave her much adrenaline as she held the hands of the shadow. She tried hitting it, pulling on its fur, even biting it. That time, with her bite, the shadow pulled back, and she was able to gasp away from the water.

His glowing hook nearly missed her as she ducked inside the tub. Amy heard a rumble behind her when she pulled herself out of the bath. The large animal had fallen inside. Amy ran out of the bathroom and into her bedroom. The large animal followed her and pushed her to the ground.

Amy fell on her head and bit the tip of her tongue off, making her squeal in pain. She reached for Arondight's red scabbard. She flipped on her back, unsheathing half the sword. The animal's hook scraped the sword and made it ring. The animal was on her now, trying to overpower her. She felt unwanted weight on her ribs again, making her gasp for air.

"Hah!" Another animal jumped on the furry shadow that was on Amy. She looked to see a snake she had not seen in years.

"Mordy?!" Amy yelled.

"Run!" He yelled back.

Razorklaw dug his hook deep into the snake's cheek. The snake stumbled back in pain and the monstrous cat swung again, it sliced at Amy's leg. She screamed, fell, but picked herself up again, and ran. The hedgehog entered Lionel's room. But before she could close the door she screamed. Both Lionel and Hector appeared dead, bleeding on his bed.

Amy grabbed to wield her sword but the room's door swung at her violently, pushing her onto a wall, and she dropped her sword. Arondight was sent across the room until Razorklaw's boot stepped on it. He laughed, "Come to me little one."

"You will not hurt the princess!" Hood yelled as he swung his sword at the cat, he missed and the two struggled to stay alive and to kill each other. For a second, Amy saw a chance to get at the sword, but as she crawled to it, Razorklaw stepped on it, he tripped on the cold floor along with Hood, and the sword was sent outside the room.

She heard the snake yell in pain as the cat dug a shiv in his chest. The snake stayed on the ground where he lay, and Razorklaw motioned for Amy.

"Where were wahh!?-"The cat shrieked. Amy saw Olgivile's shortsword stick through the cat's stomach, and the cat fell, revealing Jules, and a fox behind him. The pink hedgehog hugged the blue general.

Jules held her back and said, "You are safe now."

In tears Amy asked the fox, "Who are you?"

"Merlin." The fox responded sadly. Sad that he had not arrived earlier.

Amy let go of Jules remembering her unfortunate rescuer. She slowly approached the dying snake. She studied his wound, the shiv was stuck on the left side of his chest. He coughed and held onto it, painfully he opened his eyes to see Amy.

Hood spoke, "Amelia… you are ssafe."

"Mordy." Amy said, full of tears. "No thanks to you."

The snake coughed blood, "Your father," he winced, "wants you home. Princesss…" The snake tired of speaking, and Merlin saw the breath leave his body, and his soul was sucked away.

Merlin nodded empathetically, "He has gone the way of the Chaos Force. It will guide him through to the other side. May Mordred Hood sleep peacefully."

Amy wailed for her long lost friend, a cry filled with anguish and longing for home. She cried for Mordred Hood for hours, not letting go.


	23. Chapter 22: What Is Hidden, I Give To Y

**Chapter 22**

 **What Is Hidden, I Give To You**

"I'll bite." Warden Winston cleverly remarked. The chipmunk looked at his trophy Mephiles, his prize. Mephiles' newer cell was much larger than the one before, but this time he was surrounded by brick, and a massive, thick window. The Warden saw the freedom his new prisoner had. He had no more muzzle and was not strapped to any dolly. "But only if I supervise."

"Out of the question." Mephiles barked. He realized the warden did not like his comment and restated, "I need time alone with them, to say goodbye."

Normally the warden wouldn't buy it, but this specimen intrigued him.

Mephiles continued, not looking at the warden, only sitting on his bed, "I will reveal the whereabouts of the missing persons. But I called these animals my friends, at one point. I only wish to ease their minds, and my own."

"You did it on purpose, did you not?" The warden asked, getting comfortable on his stool.

"Yes." The hedgehog confessed. "It was the only way to reach out to them."

The warden saw the pain that the hedgehog bore, and had little but some sympathy for him. The warden asked, nibbling at his nails, "Who might be the first then?"

Mephiles tried hard not to smile, "She was most known for her lawyering, Vanilla the Vicious. I need her daughter."

"Yes, I remember Vanilla." Winston wondered why of all people- a very specific girl.

"You brought us here, all the way for that?" Vanilla asked raising he voice. She shook her head, "No, she will not."

Cream looked around confused, she thought of her friend Eleos, and why on Mobius they were accusing him of such things.

"Vanilla-"The warden started.

"That's Mrs. Vanilla to you buddy." Vector corrected, sounding defensive.

"Of course," Winston held the three in a separate room that controlled the gates between the cells and the real world. "Mrs. Vanilla, we are working with the Acorn Force here, they don't have much time I don't think. Think about these animals. What if one of them was your daughter?"

Vanilla closed her eyes in distress, she swore never to come back to this life again, and certainly not introduce it to her daughter. She looked at Cream, and her daughter responded, "Mother, it's my duty to help others. If there is something I can do to help them, then I will."

Vanilla hesitated, but was proud of what her daughter had said. "Can't I at least go in there with her?"

The warden shook his head, "He specifically asked for Cream, alone."

Every blue flag possible shot up, and Vanilla hated herself for already making the decision. Vanilla hugged her daughter, "Cream, do exactly as these gentlemen tell you to do. Don't talk to anyone else, don't even look at anything else. If you need to leave, you can call to us. We will be here watching you."

"Yes, I promise." Cream vowed. She then spoke to a gentleman pig with a uniform.

"Remember, you are conducting this interview, not him. Do not indulge him in any way, you are only there to get the information he has promised." The pig said.

The warden spoke to Cream this time, "Don't be afraid of him, he is very sick, that is why he is here. Stay a few feet away from the glass, but don't worry, he still couldn't get near you."

Without fright, Cream waited for the gate to open, the guard even reassured her that she would be fine. She crossed the threshold and immediately smelled decay, or a distant smell she had never had the pleasure of meeting. She heard shouts from everywhere, and she saw the stool at the end of the hallway. The hallway was dark, and she dare not look at the other inmates, who were indeed staring back at her. She peeked at the glass cell, noticing it to be very dark. She could not see him. But she climbed on the stool and waited. From a camera, her mother watched her intently.

"I know this must be strange for you." Mephiles spoke.

"Eleos?" Cream asked.

"No, no Cream. I lied about my name." Mephiles answered.

"But, why?" Cream looked around and still could not find the hedgehog.

"I had to, for my safety." The hedgehog walked forward, and appeared before the rabbit. She beheld a different person, but she saw the same, piercing, green eyes. "It's Mephiles… that is my name."

"Okay, Mephiles, will you help with the missing people?" Cream asked patiently.

"I care not for their little lives! Only yours!" Mephiles yelled atop his lungs, as he slammed on the glass. This made Cream jump. Immediately all power was lost from the building, and all the other cellmates began to shout.

"Get her out of there!" Vanilla shouted.

"I can't, we've lost power! The generator should kick at any moment." The guard reminded her, pushing all the buttons he had. They could no longer see Cream.

"Consarnit!" The warden yelled as he clung to the gates.

"Listen Cream, there isn't much time." Mephiles started. "I'm sorry I spooked you, but this was the only way!" He had to yell to her for him to be heard over the sound of his other cellmates.

Cream approached the glass.

"Whatever they are saying about me, they are lying! You must believe me!" Mephiles shouted, still spooking Cream. "Do you remember the day you caught me outside, praying, on the Typhoon. You looked into my eyes- what did you see?!"

Cream hesitated, "I- I saw, you were telling the truth." She also remembered the day he saved Tails' life.

Reading her thoughts, Mephiles said, "When I saved Tails- that was me! That was the true me! Cream, I miss you. Your company, your friendship."

Cream was unresponsive.

Mephiles changed the subject, "When the time is right, you must flee from this place! South of Drabdun, follow the Acorn border, you will find a rotting house. I will meet you there!"

Quickly a blue light turned on in the hallway.

Mephiles continued, "Beneath Echidnopolis I have hidden something, it's yours. Tell them, southeast of Thumbnut." Mephiles fed another thought into the rabbit.

"What? Okay, I will." Cream ran back to the gate, it opened slowly, but she was greeted by a fearing mother. When the three arrived home, Cream asked her mother, "How did my father die?"

Vanilla froze, looking at Vector. The rabbit mother began, "Well, you know how-"

Cream interrupted, "No, tell me how it is. Its time I know about the Mad King." Cream snapped at her mother.

"Five minutes. No funny business." The warden reminded Mephiles, leaving a green girl behind him.

Mephiles spoke to Cosmo, "I see you got your sight back. That was, of course, no thanks to your father and I."

Cosmo wondered, "My father?" She shook her head, "What about the missing animals?"

"No, no little Cosmo. You were doing so well." Mephiles changed the subject. "You were on the right path, would you like to try again?" Mephiles stood an inch from the glass, he enjoyed the scent of the green girl.

Cosmo hesitated and delineated from the interview she was supposed to do, "Did you know my father?"

"Know him!? I practically taught him everything he knows! Or knew, Gods rest his pitiful soul." Mephiles chuckled.

Part of Cosmo didn't want to know any more, but she made herself stay and listen.

"You're father, had, not only the audacity, to face the Old God alone, but he asked me for help! You see, the Old God commanded me to kill him." Mephiles walked around his cell, not taking his eyes off Cosmo. "I had no ties with the old plant, and I would have were it not for, the spark."

Cosmo looked confused.

"You're father convinced me that we could kill the Old God together." He chortled, "You should have seen how pitiful he looked when he spoke of you. Oh how he wanted to tell you everything, he even wanted you to become his heir. So, I showed him how to spy on you."

Cosmo's eyes widened in disbelief, "I don't believe you."

Mephiles ignored her, "He placed a part of him in you, which now seems to be gone. Very good Cosmo. Do you feel it? Do you feel the emptiness now? You are your father in so many ways Cosmo."

"Who was my father?" Cosmo asked impatiently.

Mephiles ignored her again, "I sent you to Mobius so that your father could be rid of the one animal that could stop him, and to spy on all of your friends. You did wonderfully, but your father, he was a disgrace."

Cosmo still could not believe what he was hinting at, "I… don't believe you."

Mephiles held the plant girl in place, "Embrace the darkness! You are your father! You are the daughter of Lucas, Dark Oak himself!"

Cosmo felt tears well up, "Please! Please give me my child back!"

The hedgehog only laughed and let her go. "Southeast of Castle Auburndale, in a well."

Next and lastly, a yellow fox stared back at the hedgehog who eyed him devilishly. Mephiles egged him, "What would you do if I was out of this cage, and that stupid guard was not watching?" He chuckled.

Tails still did not say anything, but the fire in his eyes grew tenfold.

Mephiles looked away with boredom in his eyes, "You have something to ask, ask it before I change my mind."

Tails clenched all his teeth together and gritted them, "One thing. Blood."

"Then it is agreed! I demand a Trial by Combat!"


	24. Chapter 23: Breaking The Damnable Deal

**Chapter 23**

 **Breaking The Damnable Deal**

"Out of the question! We as a society do not handle things that way! It's… barbaric!" The queen raised her voice at Tails, Sonic, Knuckles, and even Rouge. They stood around arguing in a separate room of Chestnut Prison.

"You're making a mistake Tails." Sonic agreed with Sally.

"You really have so little confidence in me Sonic?" Tails argued, and gave a ferocious, mean look at the hedgehog.

Hamlin who had accompanied the queen to the prison reminded Sally, "That is still law, it has not been changed. Mephiles, or… Eleos still has that right."

A loud amalgamation of voices kept trying to dissuade the fox until he raised his hands, "I only, accept his offer!"

"Tails you can't!" Cosmo cried. "What if I lose you?" She pleaded as she grabbed the fox's arm.

"I need time to prepare." He told everyone else.

Sonic held his mouth with his hand in awe, Knuckles did not speak, and Rouge could not say much either. But before she left she approached the fox, "I know what it's like to want revenge. I hope you know what you are doing."

The queen was the last to leave, shaking her head. Both Cosmo and Tails were left alone.

Tails took Cosmo by the hand, but she shook away from him. He tried again, "You are going to have to trust me. I have found a way to get our child back."

Cosmo looked at the fox, wanting to cry, "How?"

The "arena" in which the queen chose reluctantly, was simply the playground of the inmates. Sally did not ask for permission, nor did she care that the inmates watched. They were behind tall railings. The queen and the Sonic team stood watch above a tower, overlooking the field.

"You're going to let this happen?" Sonic asked Sally.

A mad and reddened warden pushed through the group, "Why was I not informed of this? You've made an arena of my prison?! Take it down! Take it all down!"

Mina and Fiona grabbed at the chipmunk so he could not get closer to the queen.

"The law, is the law." Sally said angrily and unsympathetically.

"The kid doesn't stand a chance!" Knuckles added.

"Would any of you question my authority?!" Sally yelled. Everyone quieted down. "I have faith in the boy."

Sonic bit his lip, "C'mon Tails."

Cosmo covered her eyes and needed the help and support of the blue hedgehog.

"Agreed." Hamlin chuckled.

Sally pointed a finger at the pig, "Once this is over, you will sign to overrule this preposterous law! Do you hear me Hamlin?!"

"Fine." The pig spat back.

A loose Mephiles, and a circling Tails eyed each other from across the field. Mephiles began studying the different weapons that were laid before him, and so Tails did the same. Many screaming inmates yelled for the death of Mephiles.

"Are you ready, boy!?" Mephiles yelled at the fox. He picked up no weapon.

"I swore that I would see you dead Mephiles!" Tails yelled back, he picked up a dagger and a spear.

Fiona commented, "That's the one I would have picked."

Mephiles spread his arms widely, welcoming the notion, "Show me!"

Tails gave a loud battle cry and charged with the spear. The hedgehog dodged out of the way and hit the fox in the back of the head with one quick swipe of his fist. The fox dropped the spear and lunged at the hedgehog sending both of them to the ground. The fox beat the hedgehog's head like a drum, until he pushed the fox back, sending Tails on his back.

Tails got up again and ran at the hedgehog with the dagger. Mephiles took his arm and made him drop it. Tails smashed into the hedgehog's nose with his forehead. Sending the hedgehog back and grabbing at his bleeding nose. With a force unknown to Mephiles, Tails grabbed at him and pushed him over his body. With a thump, Mephiles shook his head on the ground. Tails tried grabbing him again, this time Mephiles bit the fox's hand, making him yowl.

Tails punched where he thought Mephiles' kidney might be. Luckily the hedgehog gasped for air. They both retreated to find weapons. Tails grabbed a javelin, Mephiles a sword. Tails threw the javelin at the charging hedgehog but narrowly missed. The hedgehog swung the sword, but Tails picked up a shield and blocked. Mephiles kept swinging and swinging, but Tails dodged each time.

The crowd booed intensely. Tails could now hear Cosmo cry. Darkness and shadow seeped from Mephiles' arm as he grabbed at the shield. It rung a loud ring and exploded. Tails was defenseless.

Sonic held his breath as the hedgehog raised his arm. And when Mephiles swung, a dark, purple cloud burst from within him and covered both he and the fox. Tails looked outside like a see-through window. He noticed there was no more sound, and no one moved.

Tails started, "You could have made that less believable, and they would have still believed you." The fox grabbed at his bitten hand.

Mephiles gasped for air, "I could say the same to you, but you did well." He paused, "Now, ask."

"Give me back the seed." Tails said.

"That's it?" Mephiles shouted, "I could offer you anything in the world, riches, knowledge, life eternal! And you want a simple seed?" Mephiles almost joked.

"I don't have time for this." Tails barked.

"Oh." Mephiles said, "So that's it. You figured out what's inside. I see." He paused, "And how does mother feel about taking its place?"

"No." Tails was afraid of that.

"Don't you remember what I told you? You can only choose one! That was the deal." Mephiles reminded him.

"Then take me instead. You can have me, please, I beg you." Tails pleaded.

Mephiles shook his head, "Even if I wanted to, it couldn't be done. She was the one taken back, not you."

Tails paused and mused over what he had heard. He had come so close, he had done so much. "Would you… I need time."

"Of course." Mephiles snapped. From nowhere appeared a pulsating purple energy, and it surrounded another pulsating, red, seed. He placed it carefully on the fox's hand. Tails felt it much like a stone, and it was cold. "The seed will open when I have Cosmo, not earlier, nor later."

Tails clutched at the seed, he would not let go of it this time.

Mephiles continued, "And when you give her back, you better hope to the seven hells that you are as far away from me as possible. I will be hunting you."

The fox readied himself as Mephiles handed him the sword. Mephiles lay on the ground, "Try to make it believable this time."

The purple mist subsided and revealed Tails pointing the sword right at the throat of the hedgehog.

"Stop!" Sally yelled, "I've had enough of this. Take him away!"

As he was taken away Mephiles almost forgot, "Oh by the way, there is no third victim."


	25. Chapter 24: The One That Still Could Be

**Chapter 24**

 **The One That Still Could Be**

Leaving the prison with Cosmo was easy. Simply saying a single word to her was not. How could Tails say it? How could he do it? Living in a world without Cosmo was bad enough. Now, living in a world where Tails lost Cosmo, brought her back from the dead, and sent her back, would be a world not worth living in.

"Why won't you speak to me?" Cosmo wondered as the fox led them past his beach house. Tails' grip was too strong, "You're hurting me!"

When he let her go he kept walking, dunking his shoes in the water and walked on southward. Tails' walk seemed lonesome again, as if he had already lost her like before. She followed and waited for him to speak.

The small waves of the sea crashed on the fox's shoes, dampening his socks.

 _You're going to ruin your shoes,_ she thought. Tails treaded through the sand. A bit of seaweed stuck to his right foot. Cosmo dunked her shoes in with him. Tails stopped, looked back, giggled, and stopped himself in front of the girl.

Cosmo smiled affectionately, "Now will you talk to me?" She noted the solemn look Tails gave her, but she would not give up that easily. She grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her. "Tails."

The fox opened his palm and hers, handing her a cold, stone-like, red, seed. Tears formed around the Seedrian as she asked, "You got it back?"

Tails nodded miserably, "I'm sorry I kept it from you, it's yours."

Cosmo jumped and wrapped her arms around the fox, "It's ours."

Tails began to walk away but she grabbed his hand and walked alongside. She started, "That's not all."

The fox did not look at her, "I just got you back."

Cosmo understood, "He wants to take me back, in place of our seed."

Tails quoted the hedgehog, "It will open not earlier, nor later."

The green girl looked down at her feet, now she had seaweed stuck on her as well. "I admire you Tails, for your bravery."

Tails scoffed at himself, "Well, thanks. I admire you for your courage."

"I guess we have some things in common." Cosmo said as the fox looked at her, "Even without a nose." She felt herself where a nose should be. She admired the seed, as did Tails. "We do have to thank him though."

Tails shook his head, "What? Him?"

Cosmo nodded, "If it wasn't for him, I would not have met you."

Tails shrugged the thought, he could once more think of a reason to be indebted to the hedgehog. The fox felt his scar on his side. It stung him coldly. He felt the metal piece jab inside of him, over and over. Cosmo saw this.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Mephiles." He answered. "He saved my life."

"Maybe he isn't that bad. He did keep the seed safe." She looked at it once more, longing for it to be finally opened, wanting to be there when it would happen.

"Cosmo he killed those people." Tails reminded her. She did not respond until he said again, "Well, that's what they said."

When there was another pause and another lull in the conversation, she began, "Tails I want our child to live. And if that means that I have to die, then let it be so."

Tails clenched his fists and they both stopped, "Cosmo, I can't lose you again. Do you know what I went through to get you back? I wanted to kill myself every day. Knowing that I never told you how I felt-"

"But now I know." Cosmo held his hands. "And look what our love has brought." They both held the shining seed. "A chance for my clan, and my kind to live on."

"Do you remember anything more from that day? How was this seed born?" Tails asked, admiring the girl.

"I remember crying. Perhaps it was my tears." Cosmo thought. The two spent the rest of the day walking.

A small animal with wings buzzed through the trees. The scout motioned for the rest of his company to continue. He was dressed in what appeared like golden mail and armor.

"Knottingham, the Legion of Darkness, the Iron Kingdom, and now, Echidnopolis." Dimitri nodded and shook the hand of the fat, bull woman.

"Let us make war." Regina laughed as they signed a new treaty.


	26. Chapter 25: The Immortal Collimate

**Chapter 25**

 **The Immortal Collimate**

 **Section VI**

"He has corrupted your will Master! Mephiles must be stopped. He dwindles in the realms of mortals, he knows nothing of your plans." The Devourer accused with a monstrous voice.

"On the contrary, Mephiles knows better than anyone-the will of the Master." Samir, The Will of Amon restated.

Many had come for the final meeting of the Collimate, before they were sent to make true of the Old God's plan. They all stood, in darkness, in the blackest part of space, in the never-ending, oozing black hole that was their birth. The void.

Another, a green essence, much like the Dark God himself, spoke, "Master, thy will be done, there is no other question. But it is true, Mephiles and Himerope have become intimate. Your law forbids us from such actions. That is how he has slipped from your grasp. I can see it in her soul." The Infected One pointed at the red hedgehog.

Himerope, The Tainted One, spoke out, "Master, we were only trying to attain the Mantle of Creation, to offer offspring to you."

"Do you not realize that the Master made this law to protect you from yourself? It cannot be done." The Fallen One attested to the will of the almighty.

"It can be done! I have seen it been done." Himerope shouted.

"How?" Samir asked. The Will of Amon was intrigued.

Himerope quieted down, "I have seen it, in the future."

"Nonsense!" The Devourer shouted, "Only the Master can look into the future."

Himerope shook her head, "Mephiles has given me a child. We call her The Sinful One."

"Blasphemy!" The Devourer accused.

"Heresy!" The fiery, horned Fallen One yelled.

The Defiler, a blue skeleton-like creature spoke, "The Sinful One you say? And how will she proclaim the Master's plan?"

"I swear she will aid The Fallen One in his charge." Himerope swore.

"I don't like it at all." The Devourer commented, "Mephiles and she are up to something."

The Collimate turned to face their creator, he was a substance most vile in the universe. A being seen only as shadow, blacker than black. And with a voice that rung deep in every atom and being of the Immortals, "Call him!" The sound of his voice terrified each member, for it felt as a strong vibration. And when the evil of all evils commanded, they obeyed.

The Devourer called, "The Undying has awakened. Everlasting be His reign."

Abruptly, with the power of Amon, the Dark God himself, Mephiles was pulled from where he was and thrown into the Collimate. He coughed and stood up, trembling as he saw his creator, "My lord, Amon, you…. You have called, and I have answered."

"SILENCE!" The Dark God made each Immortal choke, each felt as if their lives were being pulled away from them. "Mephiles, my last creation, you have failed me!"

The minted hedgehog pleaded on his knees, "My lord! Please! I beg for my life! I was only thinking of your will!"

Amon's shadow reached for the hedgehog and began eating away at him. This alarmed Mephiles greatly, for only there in the void could he be killed. Mephiles cried, "Master please! Aman'Thul! Yes! He has created a weapon powerful enough to kill us! Not even here in the void!"

Amon stopped, his shadow threw Mephiles away. Amon talked a mighty talk, "My brother will be dead soon, I know the weapon of which you speak of. The Sword of Time. It is of little concern to me."

All of the Immortals fell silent, and Himerope worried for her lover.

However, The Perfect One did speak, pointing at Mephiles, The Dark One, "You are a fool Mephiles! You should not have defiled the Master's plan!" The Perfect One's brother nodded in agreement next to him.

"I have figured out a way to get this weapon back." Mephiles coughed, "I just need time. Time to prove my worth to you Master."

"Go!" Amon dismissed him, "Kill the betrayer, The Lost One. Bring me his soul."

"I will not fail you Master." Mephiles said as he opened port and left. The Devourer let go of Himerope, The Tainted One.

Amon continued, "When you birth this Sinful One, you will come to me and be fed to me."

Himerope nodded disdainfully, opened port and left.

"They will betray you Master." Black Doom, The Devourer mentioned.

Amon agreed, "Yes, but I let them go because it is my will. Soon I will have a body, and all will face oblivion!" Amon laughed a laugh that would never be forgotten by the Immortals, "Go my children, make true the Augury."

All of the other Immortals opened port and left. Amon spoke to his will, "Samir, I have an important task for you."

"Thy will be done my Master." Amon's Will nodded.

"It is imperative that you kill the boy. He must not be reunited with the Girl of Short Hair." Amon commanded, and as he did, Samir opened port and left.

Himerope and Mephiles met in their safe zone.

"He saw right through our lies, I know it." Himerope expressed.

"I know, I know, when will she be born?" Mephiles urged her on.

"Not soon enough." Himerope looked down, defeated.

"No matter, I have made new friends, they have no ties with the Dark God." Mephiles explained.

"Whom?" Himerope asked.

"The Faceless One."

"There." Amy said, looking at her home once more. There was no battle cries, or distant yelling, or the clash of steel. Which could be very bad indeed.

Merlin came back from scouting the bandit's hideout, and he came with a familiar purple chameleon and another who looked a little like him.

Merlin explained, "They are gone, but I see you know each other."

Amy and Espio both reunited and shared sentiment as the pink hedgehog said, "Espio you're alright. And you found your sister."

"Well, "Espio started.

"Girlfriend?" Salma asked.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Amy asked.

Salma raised her arms, "I was only curious. Didn't know my mom back home, maybe I had one here."

"Mom?" Amy asked, confused at her remark.

Espio tried explaining, "She's not my sister. She's my daughter."

Amy looked at Espio with curiosity, "You never told me you had…"

"I don't." Espio said. "It's a long story."

"So what's the plan of action?" Jules asked.

"I know the bandits drove the Irons out." Amy hoped, "Mordy's letter specifically said that the Irons plan to invade the Acorns."

"They will risk a sea battle." Jules added.

"Exactly, "Amy began again, "We need to speak with Yu-Long-Hai. The Dragon of the Sea may help us in our war. And I know just the fish who might be able to help me with that."


	27. Chapter 26: Hatred Incarnate

**Chapter 26**

 **Hatred Incarnate**

"I guess, this is it." Cosmo began to tear up again. She could feel her life draining, even though Mephiles gave Tails all the time he wanted. She lay on his bed, him at the side of the bed, holding her, caressing her, and enjoying his last moments with Cosmo.

Tails had made all the necessary preparations. He took Mephiles' threat, almost as a sign of good faith, or maybe bad faith, as a head start. He packed enough food to last him a few weeks.

"Yes." Tails could never give her up again, but he felt ready to do so.

"Promise me, you'll keep him or her safe." Cosmo cried.

"Yes."

"Promise me, you will read to them. And make funny jokes and be silly." Cosmo expressed a mixture of laughter and a cry.

As did Tails, "Yes. Wait, what will we call them?"

Cosmo thought for a moment, as tears dripped down her cheek, "I can't believe we missed that. If it's a boy… I like… Miles."

Tails chuckled as he held her hand on his cheek. "I hate my name." Tails laughed, as did the green girl. "What about if it's a girl?"

Cosmo could not decide, "I don't know. I guess… you'll just have to decide."

The two held each other for a long while, until Cosmo interrupted, "It's time."

Tails nodded, but he could not say the words. He shook his head violently and began to shake. He pushed his head on the bed near Cosmo, "I can't! I just can't!" He began to weep.

"You have to. I feel that time is running out." Cosmo's words became only whispers now.

"What if I'm a bad father?" Tails asked.

"We'll both be bad parents." Cosmo began, clasping her hands together near her eyes. "Because I left both of you to fend for yourselves."

"No." Tails shook his head, "Don't say that. You will watch over us, I know it."

"You really think so?" Cosmo cried.

Tails nodded his head, "Yes. And I will keep us safe. I will never let anything bad happen to us."

"Okay. I believe you." Cosmo cried once more.

Tails paused, cursed the minted stranger again and said, "… The… Undying h-has awakened… everlasting be His reign." When he opened his eyes, Cosmo had died. She did not keep the same complexion, for her skin was paler than before, the brightness in her eyes had left, and her spirit had gone to another realm.

Tails wailed louder and louder, and cried as he had never cried before.

The seed pulsated its red, but also blinked with green and yellow as it had before.

The seed opened.


	28. Chapter 27: Mother

**Chapter 27**

 **Mother**

Amel shook his head, he had given up. He began to walk away, farther from the Warden's realm.

"That's it? We're giving up?" The Inventor asked.

Blaze the cat sped to the human, and grabbed for his shoulder, "Amel, friend, we are so very close."

"What else is there to do?" Amel shrugged.

"I can take him!" The Inventor grabbed for Caliburn.

"I'm not a fighter. I'm only a servant." Amel said plainly.

"The passage beyond is not forbidden to me, I can still go." Blaze pointed out.

Amel nodded, he played with the silver ring Cream had given him, so long ago.

"Amel! Cream! You have to listen!" A bodiless voice could be heard by the three.

"Who's there?" The Inventor asked, pulling out Caliburn.

A shape of a large, furry animal appeared in front of them. It seemed as if it was just a portrayal of the actual thing.

"Soferia?" Amel asked.

"Yes." He began, "You must listen- I have found a way to end the war. You must go to Mobius, find the child of Mother. Protect her."

"Mother?" Amel asked as he realized, "The new Lifebinder?"

"Yes!" Soferia exclaimed.

"You're Mammoth Mogul." The Inventor also realized, "You were the one who spoke in my dreams."

Soferia nodded, "Yes, it is I."

Cream shouted, "You were stuck in the emerald. Why did you give me the piece to finish the machine?!"

"It is both the death machine and a chance for salvation." Soferia explained. "I am fading, please, Amel, go to her, and keep her safe." The voice died down and the image disappeared.

The Inventor stopped Amel, "She died- there was nothing I could do."

"But we have to try." Amel said, "Perhaps with my help…" He eyed Caliburn, and the crown that lay on her head.

Blaze pointed at a dark corner of the skeleton-like cave, "Look!"

Amel recognized the green girl's tall spirit forming into existence, "Mother." Amel reached for the girl. "Blaze, I'm going to need your help."

The Warden rested his eyes for a moment, and began to make a clicking noise with his mouth. When he opened his eyes again he saw the three return, "Ah! You have returned. Prepare then, Amel, for battle!" He saw another figure he also recognized, "Mother!" He bowed before her.

Cosmo walked to the Warden, put her hand on him and she continued on to the realm beyond. Amel, and the Inventor had little time to spare, but the two and Blaze also entered the realm beyond.


	29. Chapter 28: The Great Beginning Of The

**Chapter 28**

 **The Great Beginning Of The End War**

Sally looked through the massive window overlooking her kingdom, for once, she did not feel the weight of the crown.

Maximillian entered the hall, dressed in fine cloth and in mail. A sword was at his side as he asked, "Sally, are you ready?" The chipmunk felt a cold breeze on the left side of his face, it stung each time. He revealed torn skin, and half of his teeth.

"Ready the ships."

"The Golden Hive have started killing Dragons, and the Dragons have retaliated as was expected." Dimitri mused. He looked over maps spread across a table.

"Good!" Regina the Iron Queen shouted, she beheld her large fleet of ships from inside the bunker.

"Will Jun Kun be joining us?" Dimitri wondered, but the Iron Queen only laughed at his remark.

The Deerwood Bandits had driven out the remaining Legion from Knottingham, just as Amy had hoped. Amy ran to her father, who was next to her mother the queen. He was on a bed, being tended and given medicine. "Daddy." Amy exhaled.

"Amelia." Ban expressed as he saw Arondight and Laevatein glow as they got closer to each other. He coughed violently.

Ban was dying.

"What is it?" Amy asked as she looked around to see Alan Quail, holding an old deer with a brown, friar's tunic.

Amy hit her knees on the ground next to the quail and the dead Friar Buck. She had no more tears to shed, and yet a few still found their way out. "So much… death." Amy said.


	30. Chapter 29: Searching Through Meditation

**Chapter 29**

 **Searching Through Meditation**

The Devourer, Black Doom and his creatures of black had made it to Mobius. He began in the borders of the Acorn Kingdom.

"Kill my pets. Kill as you see fit!" Black Doom shouted as he commanded his minions. "Let none survive!"

He paused, "And find me the traitor Mephiles."

Mephiles, Silver, Marine, and even Jeffery St. Croix stood around each other in Chestnut's playground.

Mephiles began, "We break out as soon as Black Doom gets to us."

"How can we trust you?" Silver asked.

"You can't. But I'm the only hope you've got!" Mephiles shouted.

"Quiet!" The skunk reminded them, "Don't alert the guards."

Marine looked around as the watchwoman, "Hurry, whatever you're going to do, do it now."

Mephiles sat on the cemented ground and said, "I only need to meditate."

The hedgehog looked into the future and beheld a rotting house near the borders of Acorn territory. South of Drabdun the house occupied two lonely beings. He guessed they would be there, but he needed to be safe about his guess.

Mephiles said, "Oh Tails, I've already found you."

"Tails?" Marine asked.

"What do you want with him?" Silver also asked the hedgehog.

"Hurry!" Jeffery said as Mephiles got up.

The three other green-jumpsuited animals waited patiently for a response.

"Me." Mephiles stated.


	31. Chapter 30: Tell Me A Story, Daddy

**Chapter 30**

 **Tell Me A Story, Daddy**

The fox ran for his life, and for the life of his newborn. A girl, who had amazingly grown fast since he left his home. He carried her tightly around his arms, dodging branches, and running through trees. The girl had yellow hair, and looked a lot like Cosmo.

Tails gasped and hid under a massive overturned tree trunk.

"Faster! This way!" A few bees in golden plated mail flew past the fox.

He then heard growls all around him, growls and the scratching of grass under black, oozing claws. Luckily it was dark enough for Tails to get past the bees. He knew the bees feared half-light. But of these new enemies he knew not of, he could only guess they could see in the dark.

"You're alright." Tails lay a finger on the plant baby, and she played with his glove.

The little baby looked at her father and said, "Daddy."

Tails was surprised a newborn such as her could even talk. He noticed a window of opportunity and fled the overturned trunk.

As he ran quietly, he felt his scar was opening up. He checked it a few times just to see if that was true or not. He winced every five minutes because of it. He knew he was being hunted by Mephiles, he could feel the cold he felt on the Typhoon.

Reaching an opening covered by tall grasslands, swamp, and trees, Tails saw a large house. It was black, and abandoned. It had to be, the state of it was decrepit. He took the only path that lead to the house. Around it, the house was surrounded by muck and insects. Tails smacked his head, killing the buzzing critters. He tried covering his daughter as best he could.

Upon further inspection, and upon arrival in the large home, Tails saw it was rotting. He closed the door behind him, and something inside the house landed with a wet thud. He looked around, he was alone, but he needed to be sure. He inspected every wall, every crevice but found no one.

He set his daughter down, he had covered her with a blanket. He reached for his pack, rummaging through one of Cosmo's dresses and another that was yellow. They both quieted down in the top level of the home. Tails lit a candle and cursed for not bringing any of his books.

"Daddy?" The baby asked.

"Yes sweetie?" Tails said.

"Where's mommy?" She asked.

"Cosmo." Tails whispered, he clutched his chest in pain.

"No…" The girl pondered, "Cream."

Tails looked at his daughter sadly, "No, your mother is Cosmo. And I am Miles, your father." He explained.

"And what's my name?" The yellow, plant girl was smarter than any baby Miles ever knew.

"Terrene."


	32. Epilogue: A Strange Land

**Epilogue**

 **A Strange Land**

The metallic walls of the Egg-Maelstrom would have rung louder because of Eclipse's port, were it not for the distraction Black Doom was making outside.

The Immortal ran like mist through the walls, searching, he was in a desperate need of finding him.

Eclipse, the blue being, splattered with red across his face, found what he was looking for. He noticed a helpless black hedgehog, suspended in the air across a machine that was making him dull to the senses.

Eclipse forced the magnets out of the way, releasing Shadow. He helped him up, laying his arm across his shoulders, "I've got you. Brother, it's me, Eclipse."

Shadow opened his eyes, "What?"

"I'm getting you out of here."

The doctor's laboratory light outside was failing. It now read, "L- Labs". Inside he hurried, there was little time.

"Vile." He said as he pressed a few buttons. "That is your name."

The doctor had a plan. A plan to save the world from The Infected One, and The Tainted One.

Both Rimas and Helen made it out of port safely, but were thrown from it onto the dusty, red, ground.

Helen coughed and tried to see where she was. Rimas did the same as he got up and said, "Not good."

"What is it?" Helen asked as she noticed they were being surrounded by large men with green skin.

"What are humans doing here, so close to Durotar?" One of the green men asked another.

"Never mind that, we take them to the Warchief!" The other yelled as they pushed Rimas and Helen northwards.

As they traveled they saw a giant wall, filled with spikes. But it was under construction. Helen noticed other green men, but they were the size of children. They eyed her mischievously.

"Where are they taking us?" Helen whispered to Rimas.

"I don't know." Rimas whispered back.

Beyond the great wall lay a city, filled with many different colored men, such as the ones holding them. They led them to a giant tent-like structure. Inside, the tent seemed to be patched up by different hides of animals. But therein, in the center was another green man, surrounded by others. They seemed to be looking at some maps, or plans.

The green man was a giant compared to Helen, he had black hair, and black armor. He spoke, his voice was thunderous, "Release them at once!"

"We meant no disrespect. They are only humans." One of the green men that held them was ordered to leave. And they did.

The giant, green man extended his arm to help Helen up. And as he did he said, "Greetings, humans. I am Thrall, Warchief of the Horde."

 **End of Book 2 of the Auspice Sequence**


End file.
